Introduction

Surgery is an exciting, transformative field that can save lives and improve the quality of a patient’s life. As a nurse providing perioperative care to people undergoing surgery, your most critical responsibility is to work with the other members of the perioperative team to provide a safe and positive surgical outcome for the patient. Another important role is to ensure that the perioperative process is as efficient as possible for all members of the healthcare team.

To provide the best possible care, you need to understand the art and science of surgery. This chapter provides an overview of surgical concepts as well as a discussion of the three stages of perioperative nursing care: preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative. In this chapter, you learn the important role of the perioperative nurse in providing safe and effective care throughout all stages of the patient’s experience in collaboration with the surgical team.

It is also important to keep in mind that surgery can be a very emotional experience for patients. Often, you will encounter patients who are anxious or afraid. By providing care that is compassionate, competent, and culturally aware, you can help put your patients at ease while ensuring positive surgical outcomes.