Perioperative Nursing: An Introductory Text

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It has been a very long time since I have read an introductory nursing textbook, and I thought it might be interesting to read a current textbook to see how it compares with my experience working in the OR. This book was a good choice. Although I thought it would be an overview of perioperative nursing, it was a detailed introduction, from the first chapter, “Perioperative nursing,” to the last chapter, “Professional development and future roles and practice.”

The book cover is plain and businesslike, and the overview on the back is brief and to the point. The book has no embellishment or overemphasis, and the table of contents is clear in defining chapter content. Each chapter begins with objectives and key words and ends with an extensive bibliography, a section of further reading, and questions that are thought provoking and can lead to interesting discussion. The “critical thinking exercises” begin in the first chapter. One question involves a surgeon who asks for an item using a nonmedical term; a new graduate nurse who is not familiar with the term asks what course of action to take.

The first chapter is typical of an introductory book and deals with the history and definition of perioperative nursing. It is one of the best descriptions of perioperative nursing I have read. The book is written in a clear and understandable format. The table of contents is so detailed that one could return to any specific section just by looking at the chapter list. There are many illustrations and pictures, tables, and explanation boxes throughout the book.

The authors are well qualified on the subject of perioperative nursing and used many resources in compiling the book and cited them appropriately. The book was written by Australian nurses for perioperative nurses in Australia and New Zealand, and some of the terminology used in those countries may be unfamiliar to readers in the United States. For example, when referring to surgical counted items, nurses count “cherries” and “snuggers.” The authors frequently cite Australia and New Zealand standards for perioperative nurses, including those from the Australian College of Operating Room Nurses and the Perioperative Nurses College of the New Zealand Nurses Organization. The standards in Australia and New Zealand, such as procedures for surgical site marking, are very similar to those in the United States. I found AORN listed in the reference section of several chapters and referred to in the text of two of the chapters.

At the end of the book, there is a glossary and an index. The authors also list a web site that students or instructors who register on the site can use as a “free learning resource.”

Overall, I was impressed with the book and thought it was very thorough. I think this book would benefit anyone starting to work in the perioperative area. Experienced nurses would find the book interesting and a reinforcement of what they already know. I found it to be a detailed explanation of what a perioperative nurse does.