When meeting with myriad perioperative nurses to discuss content plans for the new journal, OR Nurse 2007, I was amazed at how perioperative practice has progressed in recent years. There have been many technological advancements and clinical practice changes since I started working as a staff nurse in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) 21 years ago.
An evolving field
The perioperative scope of practice has evolved to encompass the surgical patient's total experience from a clinical and holistic perspective-preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care. Modalities for surgical pain management include multimodal techniques and nonpharmacologic interventions such as Reiki and reflexology.
Experts have developed computer-assisted surgery and new clinical approaches in the past decade that reap clinical rewards for surgical patients. Among them:
* Minimally invasive hip and knee arthroplasty
* Robotic assistance for video-assisted thoracic surgery
* Laparoscopic bariatric surgery
* Robotic mitral valve repair
In addition, national initiatives now focus on the prevention of surgical site infections (SSI). Prophylactic antibiotics, surgical site preparation with appropriate hair removal, maintenance of perioperative glycemic control, perioperative normothermia and appropriate levels of inspired oxygen significantly reduce the risk of SSIs, and produce better evidence-based outcomes and shorter lengths of stay for our surgical patients.1,2
Increased professionalism
At the professional level, we're fortunate to have various organizations to support us, including the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, Inc., (AORN), the American Society of Perianesthesia Nurses (ASPAN), and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) for those who manage, teach, and practice perioperative nursing, perianesthesia nursing, and anesthesia. These organizations provide valuable leadership through their established standards of care and practice guidelines, which direct the care we provide to surgical patients.
To expand the resources available to help meet your rapid information needs, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, publisher of Nursing2007, Nursing Management, and Nursing2007Critical Care, proudly offers this new bimonthly, peer-reviewed journal filled with the most current perioperative innovations and continuing education based on relevant and reliable research. The continuing education and feature articles will explore core perioperative nursing topics and focus on all phases of perioperative nursing and management (preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative) within hospital and ambulatory surgical center practice settings.
The editorial advisory board, comprised of perioperative nurse leaders, along with the editorial team, is committed to bringing you evidence-based content to immediately enhance your nursing practice, so you can improve and optimize outcomes for surgical patients.
Our standards, practice, and care modalities continue to evolve every day. Let OR Nurse 2007 be among the resources that help you make your mark on the future of the perioperative profession.
Mary Perrong, RN, CRNP, APRN, BC, MSN
Clinical Editor, OR Nurse 2007, [email protected]
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