Mission Statement

The Mission of Perioperative Nurses College (PNC), NZNO is to support and promote the safe and optimal care of all patients undergoing operative and other invasive procedures.

This is achieved by promoting high standards of nursing practice through education and research.

PNC support and adhere to the NZNO standards of nursing practice, principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and the vision and direction provided by the International Federation of Perioperative Nurses.

Values

PNC member’s values relate to patient care, education and professional development.

We value:

• Perioperative nursing practice that encompasses pre, intra and post operative care
• Current, accessible and cost effective services
• Clear and accurate documentation
• Evidence-based practice
• Team practice
• Optimising the patient journey
• Open, honest, collaborative communication
• Creative leaders

Perioperative Nursing

Perioperative nurses provide perioperative care to patients and their families/whanau through the continuum of care.

Perioperative nursing care is provided in a variety of settings including, but not limited to: outpatient departments, day surgery units, intervention and investigative units, radiological departments, surgical inpatient units, operating rooms and post anaesthetic care units.

Perioperative nurses demonstrate the application of speciality and sub-speciality nursing knowledge in the provision of assessment, therapeutic interventions, treatment modalities, working within an Interprofessional team and appropriate referrals.

"The concept of the perioperative continuum is vital to ensure continuity of care for patients undergoing surgery - this is the patient’s right. It encompasses the three phases of the patient’s surgical experience, in which all nurses in the surgical continuum are involved.
The Preoperative phase commences with the patient’s decision to have surgery and ends at induction (of anaesthetic); the Intraoperative phase is the time from the patient’s induction of anaesthetic until extubation and/or transfer from the operating table, and the Post-operative phase commences with the patient’s transfer from the operating room to the Post anaesthetic care unit and continues until discharge from hospital and/or health team care” (Jones 1985).

Standards

A standard is the quality measure used as the basis for perioperative practice and includes perioperative patient care, administration, documentation, professional development, practice and quality improvement.

These standards should be read in conjunction with:

AORN Perioperative Standards and Recommended Practices for Inpatient and Ambulatory Settings, (current edition)

Nursing Council of New Zealand Competencies for Registered Nurses 2007 (link)

Recommended practice, examples in practice and reference links are provided to support each standard.