(2)
The circulating nurse does not scrub or wear sterile gloves or gown.
(3)
The circulating nurse is the professional nurse liaison between
scrubbed personnel and those outside of the operating room.
(4)
Responsibilities of the circulating nurse include:
(a) Providing for psychological comfort of the patient prior to and
(b)
Making initial assessment of the patient and continued
monitoring.
(c) Saving all discarded sponges; during surgery, participates in
the sponge count to ensure that no sponge is left in the patient.
(d) Observing the surgical procedure and anticipating the needs for
(e) Preparing labels for the patient specimens for their submission
to the laboratory for analysis.
Section III. THE ANESTHETIC AGENT
2-5.
FACTORS THAT EFFECT THE SELECTION OF AN ANESTHETIC AGENT
a.
The preoperative patient is usually interested in and concerned about the
anesthesia that he will receive. He has probably heard a lot of negative talk from family,
friends, and the news media about anesthesia and has usually formed an opinion as to
the good or bad points of various methods in use. It is strongly advised that the
anesthesiologist/anesthetist and the operating room nurse make a preoperative visit to
the patient. This visit will help to allay many of the fears that exist in the patient's mind,
will help in building confidence, and will enable the patient to recognize familiar faces in
the operating room.
b.
Before surgery, the anesthesiologist/anesthetist reviews the patient's chart,
evaluates the laboratory data and diagnostic studies, verifies the surgical procedure,
examines the patient, and discusses the option for anesthesia and the attendant risks.
The following factors are important in selecting an anesthetic agent:
(1)
Type of surgery.
(2)
Depth and extent of anesthesia required.
MD0915
2-5