Before a procedure begins, throughout surgery, and into recovery, perioperative nurses help keep patients safe. At Hennick Humber Hospital (HHH), their work brings together specialized skills, patient advocacy and teamwork at every stage of a patient’s surgical journey.

In recognition of Perioperative Nurses Week, Stephanie Pietrow, Operating Room Clinical Practice Leader and Perioperative Nurse at Hennick Humber Hospital, shares an inside look at all there is to know about Perioperative Nurses.

Care across the full perioperative journey

Perioperative nursing at HHH extends well beyond the operating room. Nurses support patients across the full spectrum of surgical care:

• Surgical Pre-screening: Nurses help prepare patients before surgery by reviewing health information, answering questions and identifying needs early so patients are ready for their procedure.
• Operating Room (OR): Scrub and circulating nurses work alongside the surgical team to keep patients safe throughout surgery.
• Endoscopy: Nurses support patients through endoscopic procedures, providing monitoring, comfort and safe, coordinated care.
• Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU): Nurses closely monitor patients as they wake from anesthesia and manage their immediate recovery.
• Surgical Daycare: Nurses prepare patients for same-day procedures and support their recovery and discharge, including guidance for going home.
• Surgical Units/Clinics: Nurses provide ongoing care and monitoring for patients who stay in hospital after surgery, supporting their recovery.

Keeping patients at the centre of care

Patient advocacy is at the heart of perioperative nursing. At HHH, nurses help protect patients’ safety and well-being through actions that patients may never see like participating in surgical safety checklists, completing surgical counts, maintaining sterile technique, identifying potential safety concerns, and more. Each is an important part of supporting safe, high-reliability care before, during, and after surgery.

Learning as surgical care evolves

As surgical technology advances, learning is an ongoing part of the job. At HHH, nurses complete specialized orientation and continuing education to build and maintain their skills across surgical specialties. That includes training to support robotic-assisted surgeries involving innovations like the da Vinci, MAKO and ROSA robotic systems. Bringing specialized nursing knowledge together with evolving technology enables continuous learning and the ability to deliver Tomorrow’s Healthcare, Today.

Different roles, one shared focus

Inside HHH’s operating rooms, nurses take on two complementary roles: scrub and circulating. Scrub nurses maintain the sterile field, handle surgical instruments and anticipate what the surgical team will need next. Circulating nurses coordinate nursing care throughout the procedure, complete patient safety checks and ensure equipment and supplies are available. The responsibilities differ, but their focus on helping to deliver safe, coordinated care for their patients remains the same.

Celebrating the strength of our team

This year’s Perioperative Nurses Week theme, “Better Together: Celebrating the Strength of Perioperative Nurses,” reflects the collaboration that surgical care requires across the entirety of a patient’s journey. This week, we celebrate our perioperative nurses for the knowledge, skill and dedication they bring to their work.