HomeNews & TopicsEducation and Professional DevelopmentTraining perioperative nurses in their future work environment

Training perioperative nurses in their future work environment

Published on

By Diane Wild

The operating room is a fast-paced and highly technical environment, and Fraser Health, like health care organizations across the country, is facing the challenge of hiring trained surgical nurses.

To support current registered nurses and licensed practical nurses obtain this specialty training, the health authority in British Columbia has begun to offer an in-house program based on the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Periop 101™, in addition to off-site programs at the B.C. Institute of Technology and Grand Prairie Regional College.

The Periop 101 program was developed by expert surgical nurses and is used by more than 2,500 facilities across Canada and the United States. In November, Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster and Eagle Ridge Hospital in Port Moody became the first Fraser Health sites to implement the new in-house training.

“I like how Periop 101 combines theory with hands-on training right in the OR theatres that we will call home one day,” said Diana Thorogood, who is part of the first cohort of students. “It’s great that we have the opportunity to learn and develop skills from our future colleagues.”

Plans to create world leading research and treatment centre for multiple sclerosis

The 10-month training combines a standardized, evidence-based online curriculum with hands-on skills labs, operating room experiences and clinical practicums to prepare nurses to work in the operating room. Students will take approximately six months to complete the 27 modules, immediately followed by about four months of orientation in the work environment.

“It has been a steep learning curve due to the specialty nature of the job, but we are 100 per cent supported along the way,” says student Sara Boychuk. “The staff have been so gracious in accepting us as their own and providing hands on mentorship. The balance between in-class course work and hands-on preceptorship has provided a structure to solidify our knowledge in a more meaningful way and I feel will set us up for success in the workplace.”

Jie Xu and Maria Ingram were operating room nurses at Royal Columbian Hospital prior to taking on clinical nurse educator roles for Periop 101. They began by reviewing the AORN Periop 101 course curriculum to obtain their administrator certificates, then developed lesson plans for each day within the core curriculum. They also completed the AORN Preceptor Certificate Program and created handbooks for preceptors.

“It is a different environment behind the elusive double doors of the operating room,” said Ingram. “It has been a pleasure to watch the students’ progress. They have accomplished so much in such a short period of time and should be very proud of themselves.”

The second phase of the implementation is planned for April 2018 at a total of four sites: Royal Columbian, Eagle Ridge and Surrey Memorial Hospitals, and the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre in Surrey.

Diane Wild is a Senior Communications Consultant at Fraser Health.

 

Latest articles

Easing the Transition to the Cloud. Modernizing made simple with integration support.

Across Canada, most hospitals and healthcare authorities recognize the need to modernize their systems....

Rovolutionizing geriatric care: Meet Canada’s leading Universal Health Hub (UHH)

Universal Health Hub (UHH) is the only Health Care Organization in Canada which is...

National efforts to guide safe, effective, and equitable use of opioids for quality pain management in children

No one should experience untreated pain. Yet, in Canada, two out of three children...

Wait times in healthcare often linked to diagnostic testing – adding more doctors and nurses alone won’t improve that bottleneck

There is an emerging consensus that Canada’s healthcare system is in crisis.  Stories appear in...

More like this

Simulation program brings training directly to the front lines

A 37-year-old man collapses on a golf course. He’s rushed by ambulance to the...

Professional Development programs for IENs

CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) offers a variety of professional development programs...

How global nursing talent is driving healthcare system transformation

The current nursing shortage, which the Canadian Nurses Association predicted in 2009 would be...

Helping to ensure the safe and healthy return home of workers across Ontario.

Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA) works with employers and workers in Ontario’s...

Project BETTY is enhancing the way skills training is delivered in hospitals

For 20 years, Canadian Surgical Technologies and Advanced Robotics (CSTAR) at London Health Sciences...

Leadership program brings together team members from across clinical areas

Linda Ahn and Sarah McDermid-Flabbi have learned leading is not about having all the...