Course Overview
This course focuses on how perinatal nurses provide care in the perioperative circulating role for patients undergoing caesarean birth surgery. Participants learn how circulating nurses assess and prepare patients and families for anesthesia, caesarean birth surgery, and recovery from regional anesthesia. This course builds on the concepts and frameworks presented in the prerequisite course. Participants will continue learning about the key concepts of caring, safety, aseptic technique, and surgical conscience. Learners will consider how these concepts are used to maintain a safe and supportive perioperative environment for patients, families and team members. The course introduces theory and standards that support development of basic perioperative circulating nurse skills in preparation for clinical learning. Clinical decision-making frameworks that guide practice are reviewed and applied to the circulating role. Participants will build on nursing knowledge of anatomy and physiology to deepen their understanding of how perioperative nurses provide care in the circulating role for patients and families undergoing caesarean birth surgery. Learners will examine ways of developing collaborative relationships with patients and families, colleagues, instructors, and perioperative team members. Participants will also consider how to employ effective leadership strategies, including advocacy and effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills during the perioperative period.
Prerequisite(s)
- 75% in NSPO 7230
Credits
2.0
- Not offered this term
- This course is not offered this term. Notify me to receive email notifications when the course opens for registration next term.
Learning Outcomes
As a healthcare practitioner, you are expected to follow professional standards of practice throughout all SN programs and courses. In this course, you will have opportunities to use the processes of critical thinking, systematic inquiry, communication, collaboration, leadership, professionalism, and clinical decision-making. Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:
- Use relevant, current ORNAC Guidelines for Perioperative Practice to explain activities in the circulating role: admitting and assessing patients undergoing cesarean section; monitoring patients; assisting with anesthesia induction and emergence; positioning; performing skin preps; setting up the sterile environment; counting; and processing specimens.
- Explain how circulating nurses employ a patient-centred plan of care to anticipate and address physiological and emotional risks of anesthesia for patients undergoing caesarean section.
- Identify risks and hazards associated with the perioperative environment and equipment for patients undergoing cesarean section and team members.
- Describe circulating nurse activities that minimize risks and hazards and promote patient and team safety.
- Explain the potential emotional and physical impact of the perioperative environment on patients undergoing caesarean section, families, and team members.
- Describe communication techniques that promote effective perioperative team partnerships and collaboration.
- Discuss perioperative documentation performed by circulating nurses.
- Critically analyze independent and collaborative activities of circulating nurses that facilitate safe and ethical patient care within the perioperative team.
- Explain how circulating nurses apply surgical conscience to promote patient safety and healing.
- Explain how circulating nurses care and advocate for patients and families by use of ways of knowing the individual (case, patient and person) for patients undergoing cesarean section.
- Communicate a plan for patient-centered care in the circulating role, using reflective critical-thinking skills and a clinical decision-making framework.
Effective as of Fall 2025
Related Programs
Perioperative Perinatal Theory 2: The Nurse in the Circulating Role (NSPO 7430) is offered as a part of the following programs:
- Indicates programs accepting international students.
School of Health Sciences
- Perinatal Nursing Specialty (Perinatal - Perioperative Option)
Advanced Certificate Part-time
- Specialty Nursing (Perinatal - Perioperative Option)
Bachelor of Science in Nursing Part-time
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