STUDENT ORIENTATION/LEARNING
PACKAGE
Placement Area:- MAIN THEATRE SUITE
Student Name:-
Mentors:-
Start Date:-
Revised – March 2006
Sarah Wardlaw
Senior Staff Nurse
Main Theatre suite
PRI
INTRODUCTION TO UNIT
The Main Theatre Suite is within the Critical Care Directorate and comprises
Of:Main theatre suite
Day surgery unit
Gynaecology theatre
Intensive therapy unit
Opportunities may be given to visit these areas during your placement.
The Main Theatre Suite itself comprises of:Reception area
Five theatres:
Theatres one and two – Emergency general surgery
Elective general surgery
Urology
Bronchoscopy
Theatres three, four and five – Orthopaedic surgery
Trauma
Recovery
The Main Theatre Suite provides a twenty-four hour service.
The Theatre Manager is Stuart Jack
The Senior Charge nurse is Hazel Scholes
The Link Teacher is Sandra Forbes
The Practice Education Facilitator (PEF) is Annette Moody
MAIN THEATRE SUITE
DEPARTMENT PHILOSOPHY
The theatre department provides a safe and supportive environment in which
to care for individuals undergoing anaesthetic and surgical procedures.
Appropriately qualified and experienced nursing staff, who are competent and
up to date in theatre nursing, provide safe individual care within different
areas of the operating department, in co-operation with the multi-disciplinary
health care team.
Care is planned through a systematic problem solving approach, which
reflects a holistic concept, emphasises human values and maintains the
identity and dignity of each individual patient.
In addition, nurses within the peri-operative environment ensure that patients
and where applicable relatives and significant others receive the information,
physical and emotional support needed in order to cope with the effects of
operative intervention in their lives
ROLE OF YOUR MENTOR
During your placement you will be given one mentor who has overall
responsibility for your assessment booklet. However there are associate
mentors within each speciality ie anaesthetics, general scrub, orthopaedic
scrub and recovery. The associate mentors will facilitate your learning within
each area. If your first mentor is on annual leave, sick leave or on days off
you can be allocated to your associate mentors to support and assist you.
When possible if staff are going on annual leave or are on long term sick we
would not allocate them a student.
You will liase with your mentors as much as possible. Time will be allocated
for you and your mentors whenever possible to discuss all learning needs and
objectives.
If you are unable to work with your mentors on any particular day or week
there will always be trained nurses available or allocated by your mentors to
support and assist you.
It is important that all half-way and final assessments between mentors and
student are met. This is a good time to discuss on a structured basis learning
objectives, achievements and any general comments regarding the
placement.
ORIENTATION PLAN – MAIN THEATRE SUITE
DATE
Introduced to staff
Staff facilities
including security of
property
Discuss hours of
working/off duty
requests
Identify procedures
for reporting
sickness
Knowledge of
theatre layout and
store rooms
Fire
points/procedures
Location of
emergency buzzers
in recovery and
reception
Location of arrest
trolley, difficult
intubation trolley
and re-intubation
trolley
Telephone numbers
for cardiac arrest,
bleeping system,
fire and switchboard
Identify location of
national and local
policies/procedures/
guidelines and
NMC
documentation
Identify procedures
for reporting
accidents/incident
MENTOR
SIGNATURE
STUDENT
SIGNATURE
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
During your placement in theatre you will have an opportunity to participate in
nursing care which reflects holistic concepts emphasising human values
maintaining the identity and dignity of each individual patient.
Throughout the placement you will become a member of a multi-disciplinary
team. This will enable you to communicate with all levels of staff involved in
the patient’s journey through theatre. You will gain awareness and
understanding of the theatre nurse’s role in that journey. You will also be
introduced to the pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative role by
gaining an insight into th
e care provided in; -
RECEPTION
ANAESTHETICS
CIRCULATING
SCRUBBING
RECOVERY
During your time in the department it is the student’s responsibility to identify
any learning needs and or learning objectives. This is to be discussed with
your mentor/associate mentor. Any guidance and knowledge from your
mentors in the opportunities within the department for learning can be
highlighted and identified.
Make sure that all written objectives are achievable within the time frame
allowed, and that they are realistic.
The objectives that are written in the next few pages are a basic guide to the
care provided in all areas of the department but if you have your own personal
objectives already set do not hesitate to use them. There is a blank sheet at
the back of the package for any extra written objectives. Once objectives are
achieved sign and date copy.
RECEPTION
The importance of good communication
between ward staff and theatre staff
Understanding of transfer systems of
patients from ward to theatre
The importance of correct documentation:Drug kardex
x-rays
medical notes
nursing notes
The importance of the theatre checklist –
Patient identification/name band
Consent
Identification and marking of operative site
Fasting
Pre-medication
The importance of maintaining a quiet,
safe environment for patients
The importance of safe transfer of the
patient from the bed to the theatre table
COMPLETED INITIALS
DATE
ANAESTHETIC ROOM
The importance of communication
between reception, anaesthetic and
theatre staff re the patients needs,
relevant documentation and surgical
preparation prior to surgery
ANAESTHESIA
1 Equipment – Induction equipment
Anaesthetic machine
Intubation/extubation
Monitoring equipment
Bair hugger
Fluid warmer
2 Anaesthetic drugs – Induction agents
Neuromuscular
Relaxants
Volatile
Anaesthetics
Analgesics
Reversal drugs
Local
anaesthetics
3 Types of anaesthetics – General
Local
Spinal
Epidural
4 Fluid replacement - Crystalloid
Blood and blood
Products
Colloids
5 Complications of anaesthesia
6 Invasive Monitoring
COMPLETED INITIALS
DATE
ANAESTHETIC ROOM
Understand and participate in
catheterisation
Care of the unconscious/immobilised
patient –
Positioning of patients
Use of table attachments
Importance of maintaining body
temperature
Measures to minimise problems related
to –
Circulation
Nerve damage
Skin Injury
Knowledge and importance of
documentation –
Anaesthetic care plan, fluid chart, and
blue form
COMPLETED INITIALS
DATE
CIRCULATING
Participate in the preparation and the
checking of equipment prior to the
commencement of operating list:Suction
Diathermy
Tourniquet
Positioning Aids
An understanding of the operating table
attachments
Maintaining asepsis and the sterile field:Assist with gowning of scrub team
Demonstrate correct opening of gown
pack/trays
Demonstrate correct opening of sterile
packs/instruments
Understand universal precautions
Have knowledge and participate (with
supervision) in instrument and swab needle
count
Importance of documentation and blood loss
Participate in collection and disposal of
specimens
Disposal of waste in accordance of local
policy
COMPLETED INITIALS
DATE
SCRUBBING
Learn the principles and participate in a
teaching session with an experienced scrub
practitioner:Scrubbing
Gowning
Gloving
Participate in a teaching session with an
experienced scrub practitioner:Setting up a trolley
Receiving sterile items
Handing over instruments
Double scrub for operations with supervision
with an experienced scrub practitioner:Perform tray check prior to surgery
Check patient details and consent
Set up and maintain sterile field
Ask for and receive sterile items
Perform final check
Apply dressings and remove drapes
COMPLETED INITIALS
DATE
RECOVERY
Have a knowledge of the role of the
recovery nurse
Participate in the preparation of the
recovery area carrying out the necessary
duties of the recovery team
Participate in the safe recovery of patients
following:General anaesthetic
Local anaesthetic
Epidural
Spinal
Understand the use of monitoring
equipment in conjunction with the clinical
observations of patients following
anaesthesia and surgery:Invasive monitoring
Non-invasive monitoring
ECG
Pulse oximetry
Assist the recovery nurse:Maintaining the airway
Use of oxygen therapy
Removing LMA/Guedel airway
Use of suction
Fluid therapy/blood and fluid warmer
Pain scoring and pain control measures
Temperature control
Understanding of the drugs their uses and
effects used in anaesthesia
The importance of documentation and
communication between theatre and ward
COMPLETED INITIALS
DATE
YOUR OWN LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
COMPLETED INITIALS
DATE
QUESTIONNAIRE
To enable us to know whether this learning package and time within the
department has been beneficial to you it would be helpful if you could
complete this questionnaire.
If you have any comments or suggestions they will be greatly received.
Complete anonymity will be maintained throughout. There is no pressure to
complete this questionnaire. Thanks.
(Please circle answers)
1 How did you find the content of the package
Helpful
Too much information
Unhelpful
Not enough information
Informative
Not needed
2 Did you find the layout of the package
3
Muddled
In a good order
Well laid out
Hard to understand
Did you find the outlined learning objectives suitable for your level of
training
Yes
4
No
If using these objectives as a guide did you find them helpful
Yes
(If no why?)
No
5
Did you feel that you had enough time with your mentor during your
placement
Yes
6
No
Did you find that theatre was a suitable placement for your level of
training
Yes
No
If no why?
7 Did you find the timetable given to you was helpful
Yes
(If no why?)
Devised – Aug 2004
Revised – March 2006
No
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