Perioperative Forum
We represent members involved in perioperative practice. This includes practitioners working in anaesthetic theatre and extends to pre-op assessment and the wards.
Hello and welcome to the RCN Perioperative forum.
Perioperative care has changed significantly over the past 10 years. While it initially loosely referred to the surgical episode (anaesthetics, theatre and recovery) it now has expanded to include the point of decision to operative to discharge after surgery.
This has been driven by the royal college of anaesthetists (RCoA), surgeons (RCoS) and nursing (RCN) who recognise the importance of integrated, cross disciplinary care in caring for our surgical patients.
While this is welcome it has left us with some challenges. How do we upskill and support our RCN perioperative workforce to ensure we provide this same cross discipline expertise and education?
This is where our fantastic members come in. The forum is excited to be working alongside your expertise and knowledge to develop a resource for all who want to develop their practice in perioperative care. From nursing associate to consultant nurse, from operating department practitioner to theatre scrub nurse, we want to hear from you. Email and tell us what you want you’d like your Perioperative forum to focus on.
Also, get your colleagues to sign up. Given the scope of the perioperative pathway, it is likely many practitioners do not realise they work in perioperative care. I’d suggest if you work within a surgical setting, you are a perioperative practitioner. This is a forum for all these staff.
Look forward to hearing from, and working with, you.
Jason Cross – Perioperative Forum Chair
Events
Read more about upcoming perioperative nursing conferences, workshops and study days hosted by the RCN
Subject guides
Further resources
- Sip Til Send podcast. An interview with Matthew Checketts, Carol Gray and Hannah Watson by Dr Grant Rodney discussing their journey to abolish preoperative fluid fasting for all patients at their hospital in Scotland.
- The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP). The AfPP supports theatre nurses, ODPs, HCAs and all those working in and around operating departments, setting standards and guidance on best practice
- The Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC) is a cross-specialty centre dedicated to the promotion, advancement and development of perioperative care
- The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). Perioperative care guideline
- The Preoperative Association. The Preoperative Association is an organisation for health professionals working in the preoperative field
- The Royal College of Anaesthetists. Perioperative Medicine: The Pathway to Better Surgical Care (PDF)
Join the RCN Perioperative Forum Facebook group
RCN Facebook groups are a place where you can get involved in honest and open discussions on the issues that affect you and your field of practice.
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