Nursing Care & Patient Safety

Surgical Nursing

A surgical nurse is a nurse who specializes in perioperative care, meaning care provided to surgical patients before, during, and after surgery. There are a number of different kinds of surgical nurse, and surgical nursing as a career can be very demanding. In pre-operative care, a surgical nurse helps to prepare a patient for surgery, both physically and emotionally. Surgical nurses may explain the procedure to the patient, and ease fears about the upcoming surgery and recovery. They also check the patient's vitals, administer medications, and help to sterilize and mark the surgical site.

During surgery, a surgical nurse assists the surgeon, passing instruments, keeping an eye on the patient's vital signs, and performing other tasks associated with the surgery, such as providing suction at the surgical site to remove blood and fluids. Some surgical nurses work as circulating nurses, patrolling the operating room to make sure that everyone stays sterile, and counting instruments, drapes, and other equipment to ensure that everything is where it is supposed to be. Nurses who are skilled at operating room work tend to receive excellent compensation, especially if particular surgeons become attached to them. Total number of procedures performed all over the world is approximately 234 million. The annual revenue of surgical procedures can be approximated to USD 1676.66 million. The global surgical market reached $385.5 million in 2012 and $419.7 million in 2013. This market is expected to grow to $631.9 million in 2018, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5% from 2013 to 2018.