Practice and Education: Partnering to Address the Perioperative Nursing Shortage

Abstract

With the growing shortage of nurses in the workforce, perioperative leaders are facing a significant challenge in recruiting new nurses who are committed to perioperative nursing. One medical center in northern Florida developed a successful summer externship program to introduce nursing students to the perioperative environment. The program incorporates both didactic and clinical experiences. Students who complete the program are better prepared and motivated to choose a career in perioperative nursing. The retention rate for nurses from the externship program who were hired into the OR in which the program was conducted was 89% after two years.

Where, oh where, are the OR nurses

“…[2][3][4][5][6][7] The following programs have been effective in developing inexperienced nurses to practice as OR nurses. [2][3][4][5][6][7] The following programs have been effective in developing inexperienced nurses to practice as OR nurses.…”

“…5 Nurses who participated in this program and were hired upon graduation as interns had a 2-year retention rate of 89%; 3 years after being hired it was 78%. Theory, skills, and socialization to the OR environment were included in the curriculum as well.…”

“…5 It takes the entire perioperative team to help develop a novice OR nurse into the ranks of being self-sufficient in providing safe, effective, quality patient care. Education provided in a supportive, respectful, and nurturing environment affords the learner time to grow and expand confidence levels, competencies, and professional practice.…”

Nurses Conceptions of the Professional Role of Operation Theatre and Psychiatric Nurses

“…Both in Great Britain and the United States there is a shortage of operating theatre nurses due to an ageing workforce. One problem is that the student nurses have no opportunities for clinical training at an operating theatre in the basic nursing programme (4,5,6). A field study on a voluntary basis lasting two or three days is not enough for the students to gain insight into pre-, intra-, and post-surgery care to increase their interest for the speciality (7,8).…”

Where, oh where, are the OR nurses?

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] The aging nursing workforce, without a sufficient number of nurses to replace them, has been a wellknown issue for a while. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] The aging nursing workforce, without a sufficient number of nurses to replace them, has been a wellknown issue for a while.…”