Medical students. Orientation to the operating room

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Nursing

Background:

• Traditional operating room (OR) orientation for surgical clerks was limited to one hour, held bimonthly.
• Student anxiety and lack of familiarity with the OR environment were identified as areas for improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an enhanced, extended OR orientation program for third-year surgical clerks.
• To assess the program's effect on student confidence, anxiety levels, and integration into the OR team.

Main Methods:

• The OR orientation duration was increased from one to two hours.
• An informal oral evaluation involving three nurses and three students was conducted several weeks post-session.
• Feedback was collected from both students and nursing staff regarding program effectiveness.

Main Results:

• Students reported increased confidence, reduced fear of the unknown, and greater awareness of OR nurse support.
• Nursing staff noted improved student communication, increased questioning, better advice acceptance, and friendlier interactions.
• Both students and nursing staff expressed positive overall responses to the enhanced orientation program.

Conclusions:

• The extended OR orientation program effectively enhances student preparedness and reduces pre-operative anxiety.
• Improved student-nurse communication and collaboration were observed, leading to a more cohesive OR team.
• The program fosters mutual professional respect and is anticipated to contribute to better patient care.