Perioperative nursing: the neglected specialty

1. Changes in nursing curricula have caused two problems for perioperative nursing: it is difficult to recruit nurses since few understand the specialty, and there is a perception that the perioperative nurse is a handmaiden to the physician. 2. In ambulatory surgery settings, the perioperative nurse is often the only caregiver patients encounter; thus, patient care must be at the highest level possible. 3. Although associate and baccalaureate curricula offer few perioperative nursing experiences, future nurses must be recruited from these programs. 4. Many issues need to be addressed so that desirable programs for perioperative nurses can be developed.