A perioperative elective for college credit

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Surgical Nursing
• Collaborative Healthcare Education

Background:

• Nursing students require practical experience in perioperative settings.
• Effective surgical instrument management is crucial for patient safety.
• Inter-institutional collaboration can enhance specialized nursing training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and implementation of a collaborative perioperative elective course.
• To assess the impact of the elective course on nursing students' participation and knowledge.
• To evaluate the reception of the course by students and healthcare staff.

Main Methods:

• A four-hour elective course was co-developed by Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Indiana University Southeast.
• The curriculum focused on surgical procedure participation, instrument handling, and nursing theory.
• Student and staff feedback was collected post-course.

Main Results:

• Nursing students gained increased participation opportunities in surgical procedures.
• Students learned the proper use, care, and cleaning of surgical instruments.
• Favorable responses were reported by both students and staff members involved in the course.

Conclusions:

• The collaborative perioperative elective course successfully integrated theoretical knowledge with practical skills.
• The course provides a valuable model for enhancing surgical nursing education through inter-institutional partnerships.
• Positive feedback suggests the program effectively met its educational objectives and warrants further consideration.