OR Manager - February 2019 - 23

Leadership
Continued from page 21
Limiting factors
If we agree that there is a place for research
centered in the perioperative environment
and that perioperative nurse
leaders are well suited to do that work,
we must answer the question: What limits
perioperative nursing research?
I believe some of the limiting factors
are ingrained in perioperative nursing
practice. These factors are not insurmountable,
but perioperative nurse
leaders must make a concerted effort
to address them.
Historical context
In Perioperative Nursing: An Introduction,
Hamlin et al explain that perioperative
nursing is among the oldest of the nursing
specialties, with roots traceable to
the 1890s. The practice of perioperative
nursing, originally described as operating
room nursing, has always been
inextricably linked to advances in surgical
technology.
The specialty of perioperative nursing
was born of the increasing complexity
of surgery and the need for assistants
to the surgeon. From these origins, the
profession has spanned the nexus between
care rooted in psychomotor skills
and the traditional role of nursing as a
caring profession. As such, technical
skills for the wide range of technology
found in the setting are highly valued.
Hamlin and her co-authors stress
that the perioperative nurse " ...has an
imperative to explore strategies not only
for professional development through
continuing education but also for practice
development through engagement
in research and evidence-based practice. "
It
should be noted that these are
Australian authors and that this call
for research as a foundation for perioperative
practice does not resonate as
strongly among American perioperative
nurses.
The value ascribed to technical
22
OR Manager | February 2019
www.ormanager.com
proficiency, as opposed to academic
achievement in areas such as research,
is much stronger in American perioperative
nursing practice. However, it
is worthwhile to consider models espoused
by other countries as American
nurses proceed forward in the research
arena.
The perioperative nursing role has
traditionally centered on coordination of
care among the multidisciplinary teams
in this environment. This fact, combined
with the holistic view of care espoused
by perioperative nurses, would seem to
make these nurses well suited to conduct
research in this setting. However,
a deficit of researchers prepared at the
doctoral level makes it difficult for nursing
to fully participate in research activities.
The
inherent values of the profession
in relation to academic achievement
CCI Research Foundation Research
Categories/Priorities
Advance the delivery of quality patient care/health outcomes and contribute to the
scientific foundation (knowledge) of perioperative nursing practice through research
in the areas of organizational climate/culture, leadership/management, nurse clinical
practice, nurse performance, and nursing education and certification.
Organizational climate/culture/other properties
➤ Perioperative RN work environment and outcomes (eg, job satisfaction, autonomy, etc)
➤ System/structures that promote optimal perioperative (certified) nurse practice
➤ Navigation of patient through perioperative processes (impact on patient outcomes)
Leadership/management
➤ Leadership/management influence on perioperative nurse practice, unit culture,
and certification rates
➤ Leadership/management strategies to improve perioperative RN work environment
and outcomes (eg, nurse empowerment, etc)
➤ Leadership/management role in healthcare innovation implementation
➤ Leadership/management role in implementing perioperative quality improvement
initiatives/evidence-based practice
➤ New models of healthcare delivery
➤ CSSM certification
Nurse practice
➤ Perioperative nurse characteristics, employment, and productivity
➤ Perioperative nurse practices that promote positive patient/health outcomes
Nurse performance
➤ Perioperative nurse perceptions of their role in patient outcomes
➤ Impact of perioperative nurse certification on perioperative nurse practice*
➤ Impact of perioperative nurse certification on patient outcomes*
➤ Role of advanced practice nurses in the perioperative environment
Nursing education and certification
➤ Perioperative nursing competency assessment, education, and credentialing
*Researchers are encouraged to review Needleman's Expanded Conceptual Model for Credentialing
Research (https://nam.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/CredentialingResearchFrameworks.pdf,
Figure 2) when developing their research ideas.
https://www.nam.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/CredentialingResearchFrameworks.pdf http://www.ormanager.com
OR Manager - February 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of OR Manager - February 2019
