Description
Provide preoperative nursing care to assess and optimize patients before surgery, verify readiness, and ensure safe handoff to the operating room. Perform assessments, initiate IVs and ordered prophylaxis, complete checklists and education, coordinate with surgeons and anesthesia, and respond to urgent changes in patient status.
- • Perform comprehensive preoperative assessments, including history, vitals, allergies, and medication reconciliation.
- • Evaluate indications, contraindications, and risks of preoperative interventions; escalate concerns to providers.
- • Identify conditions that may compromise surgical or anesthesia safety and initiate appropriate actions.
- • Distinguish normal versus concerning age-related findings that impact perioperative care.
- • Manage pre-op pain and anxiety using pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic strategies; reassess and adjust per orders.
- • Obtain and interpret basic EKGs, labs, and screening results; report abnormalities promptly.
- • Initiate IV access and obtain specimens, including type and screen and point-of-care tests.
- • Administer ordered preoperative medications, such as antibiotics, antiemetics, and anxiolytics; monitor for adverse reactions.
- • Perform and monitor intravenous fluid infusions; titrate per protocol.
- • Prepare and apply equipment such as cardiac monitors, oxygen therapy, SCDs, and warming devices.
- • Verify NPO status and completion of consents, site verification/marking, H&P, and required clearances.
- • Complete and document preoperative checklists and surgical safety verifications.
- • Educate patients and families about the procedure, anesthesia preparation, fasting, skin prep, and postoperative expectations.
- • Collaborate with surgeons, anesthesia, and perioperative teams to coordinate timing, orders, and transport to the OR.
- • Perform skin antisepsis and infection-prevention measures per protocol, including CHG bathing and nasal decolonization when ordered.
- • Verify function and manage existing devices (e.g., pacemakers, insulin pumps, central lines) per protocol; coordinate adjustments with specialists.
- • Manage oxygen delivery and physiologic monitoring; adjust per protocol and patient response.
- • Respond to urgent changes with BLS/ACLS and other stabilizing interventions while activating the rapid response team.
- • Assess psychosocial needs of patients and families and provide support and resources.
- • Document assessments, interventions, medications, patient responses, and changes in plan of care.
- • Coordinate specialty consultations, preoperative clearances, and referrals when indicated.
- • Participate in care conferences and conduct structured handoffs (e.g., SBAR) to OR and PACU teams.
- • Facilitate admission, registration, and transfer processes to and from the preoperative area.
- • Adhere to and help develop perioperative protocols and quality measures (e.g., SCIP, antibiotic timing).
- • Maintain current knowledge through literature review, education, and professional activities in perioperative nursing.
- • Provide orientation and education to unit staff and students.
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O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
