Should there be a nursing presence in the operating theatre?

Theatre nurses currently face the greatest threat to their existence since the evolution of the theatre nursing role. Traditionally perceived as task-oriented and separatist, the nature of the current theatre nursing role has led to the operating department being devalued as a clinical placement for preregistration student nurses which has a consequent effect on recruitment and retention problems. This article examines what the nurse provides, or could provide, in the operating theatre. The themes are that theatre nurses must give due consideration to the short-term future of their clinical role in order to regain status in the hierarchy of mainstream nursing.