Nursing in a technological environment: nursing care in the operating room

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Surgical Care
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Operating room (OR) nursing faces scrutiny regarding its essential presence.
• Technological advancements in surgical theaters prompt questions about the nature of OR nursing practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the contribution of nurses within the operating room.
• To explore how OR nurses interpret their role, focusing on caring within a technological context.

Main Methods:

• An ethnographic study was conducted in an Australian operating department.
• Methods included intensive observation and ethnographic interviews with OR nurses.

Main Results:

• Nurses actively shape their practice in response to technological changes.
• Findings reveal how OR nurses perceive and deliver care in a high-tech environment.
• The study highlights the integration of nursing care within technological demands.

Conclusions:

• Operating room nursing is a distinct nursing undertaking, not solely a technological one.
• Nurses' caring role is maintained and adapted within the technological surgical setting.
• The study validates the critical and multifaceted contribution of nurses in the operating room.