Important Information about Surgical Nursing
Surgical nursing careers are a specialty of nursing that deals with preoperative and postoperative care. In other words, the care of patients before a surgical procedure, as well as during and following the surgery. Also sometimes referred to as operating room nurses or preoperative nurses, these nurses are registered nurses who are with their patients every step of the way when an operation is underway or about to get underway.
There are different types of surgical nurses. A RN who chooses this specialty can decide which area of preoperative care she wishes to work in. As a career surgical nursing can be very demanding and extremely stressful. These nurses spend many hours on their feet and work long hours in emergency rooms of hospitals. The financial compensation for a surgical nurse varies depending upon where she is employed. For example, some surgical nurses earn annual salaries that are comparable to that of physicians while others earn much less.
The Work of a Surgical Nurse
A surgical nurse has work responsibilities that she must perform for patients preoperatively (before surgery), during a surgical procedure and postoperatively (which means following surgery). She cares for her patients from the preparation stage of an operation right through to the recovery stage.
Prior to an operation getting underway a surgical nurse must set about the task of preparing the operating room (OR) with all of the necessary equipment, instruments and supplies. She also must take the time to become well acquainted with her patient’s medical history. The more thorough the nurse can be in knowing her patient the better it is for the patient. She must also help to prepare her patient for the procedure that is to come, both in a physical as well as an emotional sense.
While surgery is taking place the surgical nurse is expected to monitor the vital signs of the patient and to assist the surgeon with direct surgical care as instructed such as providing suction at the surgical site in order to remove the build up of blood and/or fluids. Any type of surgery is never routine and always carries with it its share of risks. That is why there is a surgical team in the OR room to participate in every aspect of the surgery and to ensure that it goes smoothly and is a success. The surgery team consists of the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, a selection of surgical nurses and a technician or two.
Following a surgical procedure the surgical nurse is responsible for monitoring the patient as he or she come out of anesthesia. At this point she must also find effective means for helping the patient to manage any pain they may be feeling as well as to cope with any other uncomfortable side effects from the operation. Surgical nurses need to be effective communicators who have lots of empathy because it is common for them to act as a liaison between a patient and his or her family as well as a liaison to other departments in the hospital or to other members of the surgical team.
Education Requirements for a Surgical Nurse
Surgical nurses must first become registered nurses (RNs). To do this they must earn either a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree (BSN) from a university or an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) from a junior college or community college. The next step in the process is to pass the national licensing examinations.
Those who wish to work as surgical nurses are required to get as much general nursing experience as they can. They can do this by finding work in such areas as emergency room care or critical care at a healthcare facility before they enter the specialty branch of surgical nursing. After acquiring enough experience working in operating rooms a surgical nurse may wish to take an exam that will allow her to become Certified Nurses for the Operating Room (CNOR). Having this certification can further improve a surgical nurse’s career prospects.
Employment Outlook and Salary
According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics as reported at the website www.bls.gov/ the job outlook for all registered nurses including those who become surgical nurses is very good and is expected to grow by as much as 23 percent over the next 10 years. The median salary for a surgical nurse in the year 2008 as reported by http://www.salary.com was $71,627. There has never been a better time to pursue a career in the medical field as a surgical nurse.
