A career as a Perioperative Nurse involves working closely with patients who will ultimately go into surgery. In addition to providing medical care and support prior to surgery, this type of nurse would provide care after the patient comes out of surgery. In addition, a Perioperative Nurse works closely with the surgeon while the patient is being operated on, as well as other medical procedures the patient might need to undergo.
Perioperative Nursing Career, Role of a Perioperative Nurse
Although nurses are accustomed to being thrown into difficult situations, because a Perioperative Nurse would be in the operating room where invasive procedures are performed, it takes the right person to have a successful career for this specialized field of nursing. However, for those who can handle squeamish situations and enjoy a challenge, the role of a Perioperative Nurse can be very rewarding.
Along with providing support to the patient, this type of medical professional would also have a close working relationship with the surgeon, medical technologists, nurse practitioners, and nurse anesthetists. Some of the services a Perioperative Nurse provides in the operating room include performing stress test evaluations, conducting monitoring for cardiac and vascular responses, and taking various health assessments, making this a vital role within the nursing sector.
In addition to the services that a Perioperative Nurse offers in a surgical setting, he or she would also educate the patient, as well as family members about the surgical procedure about to be performed, develops a pain management on a patient-by-patient basis, and provides postoperative care to make sure the patient does not face any complications specific to anesthesia. In some cases, a Perioperative Nurse will work in other nursing positions such as a Registered Nurse First Assistant, Scrub Nurse, or Circulating Nurse during surgical procedures.
Perioperative Nurse Educational Requirements
The specialized field in which a Perioperative Nurse works is on the same level as other specialized nurses such as Legal Nurse Consultants, Nurse Educators, Psychiatry and Mental Health Nurses, Private Duty Nurses, Medical Surgical Nurses, and Midwife Nurses, among others. At a minimum, a person could work as a Perioperative Nurse with a Licensed Practical Nurse license after completing a two-year degree.
However, more and more hospitals and surgeons now require this specialized nurse to hold a Registered Nurse license after earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. The thing to remember is that for a nursing career such as this, the more education a person gets the more areas he or she would be qualified to specialize in. Although not mandatory, it would be beneficial for a nurse in this position to have certification for Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support.
Perioperative Nurse Salaries
The most recent report shows the salary for a Perioperative Nurse is $60,000 a year. Now, for a specialized nurse working in a large hospital, one with multiple operating rooms and a large number of patients, salary could easily increase by $10,000 a year. For someone who wants to earn the most possible as a Perioperative Nurse additional licenses could be obtained to practice as a Nurse Anesthetist or Critical Care Nurse as well.
Perioperative Nurse Opportunities
Surgery is always going to be a part of medical care and with the US population growing, especially baby boomers who are now reaching middle to late age, the number of surgeries needing to be performed will only increase. For that reason, current and future career opportunities for a Perioperative Nurse are positive. Then, if the individual were to secure other nursing licenses, job security would be increased even more.
