Registered Theatre Nurse

PURPOSE

At MBHS, we have a full operating theatre department especially dedicated to provide high standard of skilled surgical care, including theatre admission, preoperative, surgery and post-operative care.

The Theatre Nurse undertakes the role of preoperative, scrub, recovery nursing, and is often in charge of the nursing staff contingent in an operating theatre. The MBHS Theatre Nurse must provide patient-centered, compassionate, competent and quality care. He/she must adhere to the General Nursing Council of Zambia’s Code of Conduct and must practice safe, ethical and evidence based nursing care at all times

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

- Responsible for assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating individual plans of care for patients in the perioperative environment.

- Provide timely, skilled and effective assistance as a member of the theatre team, rotating through the roles such as scrub and recovery nurse, where needed.

- Provide nursing care that is respectful, ethical and professional at all times.

- Demonstrate ability to work competently in theatre and observe key principles like maintaining a sterile environment, aseptic technique, infection control and prevention, anatomy and physiology, proper surgical technique and equipment, health and safety etc.

- Maintain effective communication with patient’s families and careers, and members of the theatre team to ensure smooth progress of each theatre list.

- Ensure that individual nursing knowledge, skills and practice is up-to-date to perform all required duties effectively.

- Demonstrate awareness and compliance with legal and ethical aspects of preoperative nursing.

- Must be accessible at all times when rostered to be ‘on call’ for shift work or in case of emergencies.

- Assist with coordinating the smooth and safe flow of patients throughout the surgical process.

- Support the Theatre Unit Leader with creating theatre lists according to surgeon/hospital priorities, patient emergencies and waiting lists, and ensure appropriate theatre staff are scheduled for surgery.

- Coordinate with MBHS departments to ensure the safe transfer of patients to and from the operating theatre room.

- Prepare the operating room for patient/procedure.

- Prepare all surgical instruments, swabs, gauges and other equipment required for the surgery and maintain sterile field at all times.

- Perform the surgical count (instruments, swabs, gauges, sutures, needles etc.) with the theatre circulating nurse according to MBHS standard procedure and report on the same to the surgeon prior to surgery. With all prep, counts and lists, there should be a report that binds it all together as well as inventory.

- Ensure all surgical equipment (oxygen tanks, suction machine, laryngoscope, emergency defibrillator etc.) are on, checked and in good working condition prior to surgery.

- All medical equipment checked preoperatively and cleaned post operatively.

- Demonstrate best practice knowledge and compliance with cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing reusable medical and surgical instruments.

- Ensure all sterilizing techniques are carried out per MBHS policy and all surgical equipment are autoclaved, as mandated.

- Assist in compiling and completing the operating theatre register.

- Ensure that appropriate stock levels are maintained in the theatre department.

- Maintain proper checklists for monitoring stock levels and usage.

- Ensure proper handover of patient and patient’s medical folders (including surgery consent forms, laboratory results, diagnostic scans, preoperative medical note etc.) prior to admission to the theatre department.

- Ensure that proper patient identification checks are carried out to ensure correct patient, correct procedure and correct site.

- Ensure the safekeeping of patients’ belongings and valuables in accordance with MBHS policy.

Conduct pre- and post-operative patient education.

- Prepare the patient for surgery, take, and monitor vital signs.

- Prepare, administer (oral, subcutaneous, IV etc.) and record prescribed medications. Report on any adverse reactions to medications or treatments to the surgeon immediately.

- Maintain accurate and legible nursing records during the entire procedure.

- Ensure all pre-operative and intra-operative checks are completed and properly recorded on the MBHS pre-operative forms and patient chart.

- Continually demonstrate adherence to the Infection Control Policy, especially maintaining proper hand washing technique prior to surgery. Use and maintain correct personal protective equipment (PPE) such as sterile gloves and gowns, face masks and eye protection glasses.

- Ensure that procedures are understood by other nursing staff and carried out according to standard procedures.

- Comply with all national legal regulations as set out by the GNC and HPCZ.

Report to the Theatre Unit Leader or Clinic Manager any incidents or accidents, complaints, or defects in supplies or equipment as soon as possible.

- Carry out any other duties assigned by the Unit Leader, Surgeon or Clinic Manager within the nursing scope of practice