Nursing care of the infant in surgery

The operating room nurse, as an important team member, actively participates in the specialized care of the infant undergoing surgical intervention. Using the steps of the nursing process, he or she initiates the assessment preoperatively, collecting data about the health status of the patient. Based on these data, the nurse plans and prepares for the intraoperative phase and implements nursing actions while continuously and systematically reassessing the patient's condition and environment. In general, the most significant areas to consider in assessment, planning, and implementing care for infants undergoing surgical procedures are temperature regulation, fluid balance, readiness of the OR to receive the patient, prevention of infection, safe and reliable monitoring devices, careful tissue handling, and organization of priorities and interventions, especially to make efficient use of time.