An orientation program for unlicensed assistive personnel

The nursing profession has worked with unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) for decades; however, with the budget cuts resulting from health care redesign, some health care providers have expressed apprehension about UAP roles (eg, nurse aides, orderlies, unit clerks). Staff members in the perioperative services department at Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, have defined a UAP role that enhances the OR's efficiency in patient care and maintains the cost-effective measures outlined in the facility's strategic goals. A key element in the success of this perioperative UAP role implementation has been the development of a competency-based orientation program that helps UAP develop and maintain their specific skills.