FROM THE BOARD
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David Wyatt, RN, MPH, CNOR AORN Board of Directors |
Remember the art of nursing practice
Every year, I continue to be amazed at the complexity of the care that is being provided in surgical settings. Just when I think care could get no more complex – a new procedure, treatment or technology arises that enhances patient outcomes. The responsiveness of perioperative nurses to this complexity is truly astounding. Our community of perioperative nurses synthesizes these new technologies and procedures with the obligation to ensure patient safety while maintaining standards-based care.
This expertise is invaluable in our healthcare system today. Technology and the science of health care will continue to stretch the boundaries of our practice. I am thankful for the sub-specialist nurses in our perioperative community who assist us in achieving competency and excellence in caring for patients in this increasingly complex environment. It is easy to be overwhelmed with where health care is headed, what advancements are coming and how quickly they are arriving. Most of us are involved everyday in procedures, or using equipment that were not a part of our orientation to the perioperative environment or academic preparation for nursing. I stop to remind myself in these moments that while the science of health care is rapidly changing how we provide care, it is the art of perioperative nursing that is still changing lives.
I believe that one of the most important skills for a perioperative nurse was taught in my introductory nursing course in school – the role of the nurse as patient advocate. This is a very low-tech skill, but perhaps as our environment continues to become more high tech – the significance of advocating for patients increases. We often pride ourselves in our abilities to master technology, I am most proud of the artful way we care for our patients. Remember each day, not just the science, but the art of your practice.
David Wyatt, RN, MPH, CNOR
AORN Board of Directors
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