Surgical Nurse Course

Lesson 1 • Surgical Anatomy and Physiology Review

Reviews body systems most relevant to surgical intervention and tissue response. Provides the anatomical foundation required for all subsequent procedural chapters.

Lesson 2 • Role and Scope of Surgical Nursing

Defines the surgical nurse's responsibilities across preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases. Anchors professional identity within the perioperative team.

Lesson 3 • Legal and Ethical Accountability

Covers informed consent, patient rights, and professional liability in surgical care. Connects ethical decision-making to daily clinical responsibilities.

Lesson 1 • Sterilization and Disinfection Methods

Covers steam, ethylene oxide, hydrogen peroxide plasma, and chemical sterilization. Students select appropriate methods based on instrument material and urgency.

Lesson 2 • Principles of Surgical Asepsis

Distinguishes medical from surgical asepsis and defines the sterile field boundaries. Forms the conceptual basis for all sterile technique applications in the OR.

Lesson 3 • Surgical Site Infection Prevention

Applies evidence-based bundles to reduce surgical site infection risk. Links skin preparation, antibiotic prophylaxis, and traffic control to patient outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Surgical Hand Antisepsis and Gowning

Teaches standardized surgical scrub, hand rub, gowning, and gloving procedures. Correct execution prevents direct contamination of the sterile field.

Lesson 1 • Surgical Site Marking and Verification

Implements the universal protocol for correct-site, correct-procedure, and correct-patient verification. Prevents wrong-site surgery through structured team verification steps.

Lesson 2 • Preoperative Patient Education

Designs and delivers individualised preoperative teaching addressing anxiety, expectations, and recovery. Informed patients demonstrate better compliance and outcomes.

Lesson 3 • Preoperative Nursing Assessment

Guides a structured head-to-toe assessment focused on surgical and anaesthetic risk. Findings directly inform the perioperative plan of care.

Lesson 4 • NPO Guidelines and Bowel Preparation

Applies evidence-based fasting guidelines and bowel prep protocols for various surgical procedures. Reduces aspiration risk and optimises operative field conditions.

Lesson 1 • Anaesthesia Complications and Emergencies

Covers malignant hyperthermia, laryngospasm, anaphylaxis, and awareness under anaesthesia. Nurses execute emergency protocols and support rapid anaesthesia team response.

Lesson 2 • Airway Management Assistance

Prepares nurses to assist with intubation, supraglottic airway placement, and difficult airway management. Timely assistance prevents hypoxic injury during airway emergencies.

Lesson 3 • Intraoperative Anaesthesia Monitoring

Identifies standard intraoperative monitoring parameters and alarm thresholds. Nurses recognise deviations and communicate findings to the anaesthesia provider promptly.

Lesson 4 • Common Anaesthetic Agents and Effects

Reviews inhalational agents, intravenous induction drugs, neuromuscular blockers, and reversal agents. Nurses anticipate physiological effects and monitor for adverse reactions.

Lesson 1 • Electrosurgery and Energy Device Safety

Explains monopolar and bipolar electrosurgery principles and associated patient safety risks. Nurses apply grounding pad placement and fire prevention protocols correctly.

Lesson 2 • Surgical Instrument Identification and Handling

Classifies cutting, clamping, retracting, and suturing instruments by function and safe handling. Accurate identification enables efficient instrument passing and count procedures.

Lesson 3 • Surgical Counts: Sponges, Sharps, and Instruments

Applies standardised counting protocols before, during, and after surgical procedures. Correct counts prevent retained surgical items and associated patient harm.

Lesson 4 • Circulating Nurse Intraoperative Duties

Covers patient positioning, specimen management, medication labelling, and real-time documentation. The circulating nurse coordinates all non-sterile activities supporting the surgical team.

Lesson 1 • Common Surgical Positions and Techniques

Demonstrates supine, prone, lateral, lithotomy, Trendelenburg, and sitting positions with correct padding. Each position is linked to specific surgical specialties and associated risks.

Lesson 2 • Principles of Safe Surgical Positioning

Identifies physiological effects of surgical positions on circulation, respiration, and nerve function. Safe positioning balances surgical access with patient protection.

Lesson 3 • Peripheral Nerve Injury Prevention

Identifies nerves at highest risk during each surgical position and correct protective measures. Nerve injuries cause lasting disability and are largely preventable with proper technique.

Lesson 1 • Postoperative Pain Management

Applies multimodal analgesia principles including opioids, non-opioids, and regional techniques. Effective pain control accelerates recovery and reduces opioid-related adverse effects.

Lesson 2 • PACU Admission and Initial Assessment

Structures the handoff from OR to PACU and performs a systematic initial recovery assessment. Early identification of instability enables rapid intervention before complications escalate.

Lesson 3 • Phase-Two Recovery and Discharge Criteria

Applies validated discharge scoring tools and teaches patients self-care before release. Meeting objective criteria ensures patients are physiologically stable for home or unit transfer.

Lesson 4 • Common Postoperative Complications

Recognises and manages nausea, vomiting, hypothermia, bleeding, and respiratory depression in recovery. Prompt nursing intervention prevents minor complications from becoming life-threatening events.

Lesson 1 • Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Nursing

Prepares nurses for cardiopulmonary bypass setup, chest tube management, and open-heart instrument sets. High acuity demands precise coordination between surgical and perfusion teams.

Lesson 2 • Orthopaedic and Neurosurgical Nursing

Addresses implant handling, power tool use, fluoroscopy safety, and spinal positioning. Specialty-specific risks include implant contamination and radiation exposure management.

Lesson 3 • General and Abdominal Surgery Nursing

Covers laparotomy, laparoscopy, bowel resection, and hernia repair from a nursing perspective. Students prepare specialty instrument sets and anticipate intraoperative needs.

Lesson 4 • Paediatric and Geriatric Surgical Considerations

Adapts perioperative care to the anatomical, physiological, and psychosocial needs of paediatric and elderly patients. Age-specific modifications reduce anaesthetic and surgical risk.