The Key to Safety: Perioperative Pride.

Abstract

For one special week each year, perioperative nurses celebrate their profession. Perioperative Nurse Week, November 11 through 17, is a time to be proud of the care you deliver and your ability to affect patients’ lives in a positive way. Individuals working in perioperative services can feel invisible to patients at times. Our patients rarely remember us because of the effects of anesthesia, so when they reflect on their care and maybe even send thank-you cards, those who work in the OR are often forgotten. However, our work is critically important because it can change the health and surgical outcomes of our patients in a profound way. Thus, using this special week to recognize the unique contribution of all perioperative nurses to the care of surgical patients is important. When we celebrate Perioperative Nurse Week, it seems especially important to recognize and reward achievements. No matter how big or small the reward, it is good to share positive thoughts and recognition with those around us. Receiving recognition helps to make an employee feel valued,1 which can increase job satisfaction and work engagement.2 Recognition also helps to elevate one's self esteem, which can enhance self-efficacy, optimism, resilience, and job performance.3 Recognition also helps to improve the cohesiveness of a team, which leads to enhanced patient safety.4 During this special week each year, it is a good time not only to recognize the work that others are doing around you but also to reflect on your own contributions to the perioperative nursing profession. One way to enrich your contributions and earn recognition for yourself is to enhance your involvement with your professional organization, whether at the local, state, or national level. As a new perioperative nurse, I remember attending my local chapter meetings and being impressed with the years of experience in that room. I remember hearing members say they had 25 years of experience in the OR and wondering how it would feel to be such a deep subject matter expert. It was not long before they asked for volunteers for committees and I raised my hand. I was asked to do something for my peers and they listened to my suggestions. Chapter meetings are a great place for a new nurse to demonstrate and develop his or her leadership skills. After serving on a couple of committees, I was encouraged to run for the Chapter Board and then for an office. Eventually, after my fellow AORN members had mentored me, I became Chapter President, which was a huge honor that allowed me to grow and learn as a leader. Serving AORN at the local and national level will give you a sense of pride that is immeasurable and will enrich your life and career path. Here are some things to consider for enhancing your involvement with AORN: Years ago, one of my coworkers shared with me that he was a mechanical engineer and working in the OR was his second career. I found this intriguing and asked him why he chose to work in the OR instead of as an engineer. He said the decision was simple. In the OR, he was working on the ultimate machine—the human body. I had never really thought about surgery that way, but my coworker was wise in recognizing that the most complex machine is the human body, and if you can navigate those blueprints successfully, you can feel like you have truly accomplished an important task. Being a perioperative nurse is a wonderful career that will enhance your life and allow you to challenge yourself with new technology and skills. Knowing that each day you have affected the lives of individuals by caring for them during their most vulnerable state should give you a sense of accomplishment. Perioperative Nurse Week is set aside every year to help reward and recognize the service you and your colleagues provide and your unique skill set that is in high demand. How many times have you heard someone say, “Oh, I could never be an OR nurse.” Being a perioperative nurse is something unique and special that separates you from others. Revitalizing your relationship with AORN and enhancing the participation in your local chapter will bring you closer to all those in your community who have the same passion and desire to deliver outstanding perioperative care each and every day. As perioperative nurses, you should take pride in your accomplishments and your ability to care for others with harmony and compassion in a highly complex environment. Stephanie S. Davis, MSHA, RN, CNOR, CSSM, is the AORN President and the vice president of Surgical Services for HCA Healthcare. She lives in Nashville, TN. Ms Davis has no declared affiliation that could be perceived as posing a potential conflict of interest in the publication of this article.