Jeopardy-Style Learning
One way to increase participation during a staff in-service or small group meeting is to incorporate gaming as a method of educational delivery.
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By: Sonja Furr, BSN, RN, CNOR
Published: 8/22/2024
I am an educator at Atrium Health Pineville, which is a busy, growing 12-bed OR in Charlotte, NC. We have new Periop 101 students every March and August, so I am often assisting students and preceptors with how to handle both clinical and nonclinical situations. One of the common questions I am asked by novice nurses is, “When will I know everything I need to be a safe and competent perioperative nurse?” Here is how I respond to those nurses.
Feeling like you do not know everything can be extremely concerning and cause stress and anxiety. First and foremost, I want to tell you that these feelings are normal. In fact, you won’t ever know everything because you learn something new every day. Let me share my own personal story about being new and gaining confidence.
I was an expert ICU nurse, and when I transferred to the OR, I became a novice nurse again. I had no idea how to care for the perioperative patient. I could help anesthesia because I knew drips and lines, but I did not know much about anesthetic meds. I thought I would never understand or learn all the positioning, equipment, and instruments that I needed to know when working in the OR. After about a year, I began to feel more confident with the aid of my mentors and preceptors. I realized I was confident during my fifth year as a perioperative nurse as I continued to learn the procedures in the CVOR where I worked. Once I began participating in my local AORN chapter and attending conferences and seminars, my confidence grew even more. Yours will too. Be patient with yourself and glean all that you can from your preceptors and mentors.
Keep in mind that every case has the following elements: equipment, bed setup, positioning needed, and instrumentation. What changes is the procedure and how you set up those items for that procedure. Your preference cards are your “care plan” for that procedure—use them. Take your own notes to reference and help you remember specifics.
Here are just a few other items to throw in your tool kit to help increase your knowledge and confidence:
One way to increase participation during a staff in-service or small group meeting is to incorporate gaming as a method of educational delivery.
Did you know that 33% of total hospital waste comes from the OR?
Take some time to reflect and discover what it is that motivates you. Dig deep and find your purpose. And answer this question for yourself, “Why do I work in the OR?”