Paper
Monday, November 5, 2007
438
Developing a Perianesthesia Clinical Elective within a Baccalaureate Nursing Curriculum: Challenges and Rewards
Mary Elizabeth Asher, MSN, RN, CS, CPAN, School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| Learning Objective #1: identify and discuss the formal and informal processes required to develope a perianesthesia clinical nursing elective within a bacclaureate nursing curriculum. |
| Learning Objective #2: discuss and describe how simulation and clinical hands on experience can be incorporated into a perianesthesia nursing elective. |
Nursing students in baccalaureate curriculums have few opportunities to observe and or participate in perianesthesia or perioperative nursing settings. Anesthetic agents have been traditionally used in Labor and Deliver and the Perioperative setting. Currently, the use of anesthetic agents in various areas both in the hospital and community is expanding at a rapid rate. These agents are used through out the hospital environment. Hospital departments which administer anesthesia and adjunct agents include: the ER, chronic pain clinics, Endoscopy, special cardiac and radiology procedure units. The purpose behind the development of this course was to expose nursing students to various areas within the hospital that patients receive anesthesia and adjunct agents and to expose the students to the varied roles nurses have within these special units. This course was designed to teach nursing students about caring for patients under the influence of anesthetic agents and to provide them observational and hands on experience in these various settings. Development of this course required close collaboration with the nursing management team of the surgical services at a large city non for profit hospital. The time frame for development of the course was about 12 months from inception of idea to approval through the university’s curriculum committee. Prior to developing the course, specifics several meetings were held with the nursing surgical management team to discuss various issues. Issues discussed included: the number of students which could be accommodated within each area of the surgical services, what would be the role and responsibility of the nursing instructor, staff nurses working with the students, and the role and responsibility of the nursing students. Discussion included what types of experiences would be most beneficial to students and what experiences could enhance the theory portion of the lecture portion of the course.