Perioperative nursing

![CDATA[Perioperative nursing refers to patient care supporting transition through the preoperative, intraoperative and post-operative stages. Sometimes referred to as Operating Room, Operating Theatre or Operating Suite nursing, which relate mainly to the intraoperative stage, perioperative nursing encompasses far more than this. Unique to perioperative nursing is the responsibility of the nurse to be an advocate for the patient during every transitional stage of the perioperative journey where patient anxiety and fear are common. Perioperative nurses require expert knowledge and skills related to surgical procedures, methods of anaesthesia, technological equipment, effective communication skills, and to be constantly alert to the potential for rapid change in patient status. This chapter will unpack these issues to give both undergraduate and newly graduated nurses a rich insight into the complexities, challenges and rewards of perioperative nursing.]]