Many people believe that hands-on experience is the only factor that can improve surgical outcomes. Surgery requires a much broader range of skills. Surgeon behavior and decision-making have been linked to nearly half of all Operating Room (OR) errors. This blog is all about the soft skills a theatre nurse needs to possess to become a successful Theatre Nurse.
Essential soft skills a theatre nurse should possess
A good theatre nurse should have the same soft skills and characteristics as other registered nurses. We have listed out the 5 ideal ones that are more important than others.
Effective planning
Theatre or the OR nurses need to be planned. To ensure the best outcome for the patient during surgery, they must arrange supplies, actions, and charting. In less than a minute, nurses must be able to locate items and medications. Often, less than 30 seconds is preferable. Being extremely organised is required to accomplish this.
Case cart arrangements, furniture layouts, and extras cart arrangements all require exceptional organising abilities. Some things should be grouped together, while others shouldn’t be.
The operating room is managed by the OR nurses. They ensure that staff, medical professionals, and anesthesia providers are available and prepared.
In the operating room, the majority of nurses follow a routine. Opening the case, tying up the scrub, seeing the patient, returning to the room, counting, and going to get the patient might be the usual procedure.
Interpersonal skills
A registered nurse deals daily with a variety of patients, healthcare professionals, and other people. Doctors, healthcare executives, nurses, patients, and patient’s families may all fall under this category. Nurses must possess both the medical knowledge and application skills necessary to carry out daily tasks effectively.
Some of the interpersonal nursing skills that aid nurses in building rapport with patients and coworkers are active hearing, brief verbal communication, awareness and patience, relationship building, conflict resolution, critical thinking, and the promotion of positivity.
Dedication
Theatre or the OR Nurses are committed to their careers. When they are needed for emergencies on the weekends, during holidays, or at other times, they report to work. Nursing staff may have to cover a lot of calls or just one shift per week, depending on the facility they work in.
Dedication on the part of the new nurse is essential. During the first year in an operating room, it may seem as though everything the patient does is incorrect or at the very least imperfect. When a nurse is new, the staff and doctors are particularly picky. A person is regarded as new if they have only recently joined an OR nurse.
Communication
OR nurses must have excellent communication skills in order to effectively communicate with doctors, patients, and other staff members. At times, tensions in the operating room are high. While others are angry or upset, nurses must speak calmly and professionally.
Patients may be scared. OR nurses understand how to communicate in ways that reduce fear.
In less than 5 minutes, they must gain the patient’s trust. It always amazes me that we achieve this, but we do.
Never underestimate the importance of body language in communication. The theatre nurse must give the patient their undivided attention. He or she cannot keep checking their watch. I occasionally have to remind myself not to appear hurried or frustrated to the patient when I’ve been rushing around to start a case.
It is crucial to take a moment to make sure s/he is prepared to observe his/her patient calmly. The patient’s anxiety will increase if he or she observes the nurse becoming frustrated.
Should be an effective team player
Participating in a team is a component of communication. This is a crucial ability in the theatre nurse. Nurses must be able to both lead (for instance, by acting as the circulator) and follow (e.g.: being the scrub).
Being a good team player requires the nurse to be understanding when individuals are having bad days because we all experience them.
Cognitive abilities
It takes time to refine your ability to recognise a situation and choose the best course of action. Because each patient’s circumstances will be slightly unique, navigating the situation requires both knowledge and intuition.
It can be challenging at times to learn how to apply knowledge in practise after graduating from medical school. Being aware of how to act and react to the situation is harder to teach because it no longer involves memorization of facts or mastery of techniques. 97% of procedural errors in a study of 252 laparoscopic bile duct injuries were due to visual perception rather than actual technique. While a better camera and increased visualisation do assist in improving this, the surgeon is ultimately in charge.
Taking charge
The success of surgery depends on more than just the surgeon. To guarantee the best outcome for the patient, there is an entire surgical team that collaborates with one another. For everyone to be able to play their proper roles during surgery, there must be an open line of communication between the surgeon and the other members of the staff.
Communication breakdowns have detrimental effects. The American College of Surgeons found that 78% of closed malpractice claims were the result of inadequate communication, either during the surgery or afterward.
Critical Analysis
The ability to quickly judge, analyse, and react appropriately to changing situations is a trait of OR nurses. The operating room will experience an instantaneous change. Every seemingly routine procedure has the potential to become a nightmare scenario.
The theatre nurse needs to adapt as the situation changes. S/he has the capacity to recognise what will be required as a result of the change right away. I once witnessed a doctor accidentally sever a sizable stomach vein. It was my responsibility to gather the supplies needed for this change. Additionally, I had to decide which ones should be opened first.
Integrity
In the operating room, integrity is an essential trait. When necessary, nurses must ask for assistance. When something is beyond their comprehension, they must acknowledge it. Additionally, they must own up to their errors rather than trying to blame others for them.
On occasion, the circulating nurse might overlook something the scrub nurse requested. If s/he lacks integrity, they might be tempted to stand by and let the scrub get yelled at. If you let this happen, your scrub nurse will become irritated with you very quickly. And trust me when I say that your scrub nurse can make or break you.
Standing orders guide a lot of the work that theatre nurses do. Because the doctor isn’t in the department to answer questions, the nurse needs to know which orders to follow. The majority of the time, s/he works alone. Acknowledging errors as soon as possible is crucial.
Attention to Detail
Although they focus on the big picture, OR nurses also need to pay close attention to the smallest details. Missing even one minor item could be fatal to the patient. In every operation, there are a number of things to take into consideration.
The nurse needs to be aware of and knowledgeable about the small details involved in positioning, preparing, and draping. The patient should be positioned with their palms facing up as one minor detail. The ulnar nerve may sustain damage if the nurse overlooks this and the palms continue to face downward. The OR nurse pays attention to countless minute details.
Note from JP Medicals Recruitment
We sincerely hope that our blog helped you as a theatre nurse. Your study needs can be accommodated by our specialised recruitment consultants, who will provide 1-on-1 support and guidance throughout the entire process. If you wish to pursue your career in temporary nursing in the UK, please get in touch with our locum agency team of recruiters, who are available day and night for you.
