Ophthalmic theatre nursing. Part 1. Frameworks for practice

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmic nursing
• Surgical patient care
• Healthcare framework development

Background:

• Need for a structured nursing approach in ophthalmic operating departments.
• Exploration of philosophical underpinnings of nursing in this specialized area.
• Identification of patient needs guiding the framework's development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a nursing framework for patients in ophthalmic theatres.
• To outline six core goals for nursing care in ophthalmic surgical settings.
• To establish a foundation for improved nursing practice and patient experience.

Main Methods:

• Development of a nursing framework based on patient needs and philosophical constructs.
• Outlining six core goals of nursing care.
• Evaluation of the framework through a retrospective audit, focusing on the ward-theatre communication sheet.

Main Results:

• A nursing framework with six core goals for ophthalmic theatre patients was developed.
• The framework is integrated into a ward-theatre communication sheet.
• Initial evaluation via retrospective audit provides a basis for refinement.

Conclusions:

• The developed nursing framework provides a structured approach to patient care in ophthalmic theatres.
• The framework's core goals address key patient needs within the surgical environment.
• Further refinement and implementation are suggested based on the evaluation.