ACORN Standards: The Anaesthetic Nurse's Role in Patient Reception

This report delves into the ACORN standards for perioperative nursing, specifically focusing on the role of the anaesthetic nurse. It highlights the importance of establishing rapport with patients, obtaining informed consent, and gathering crucial information for the anaesthetist. The report appraises, contrasts, and critiques research literature related to the anaesthetic nurse's responsibilities in pre-operative and intra-operative care, emphasizing their role in assisting the anaesthetist and ensuring patient safety and comfort. The discussion includes a case study of an elderly patient undergoing knee surgery, illustrating the practical application of ACORN standards in real-world scenarios. Ultimately, the report concludes that adherence to ACORN standards is essential for professional perioperative nursing practice.

Nursing ACRON Anaesthetic Nurse Standards

Table of contents
Contents
Introduction
Selecting statement:
Discussion:
APPRAISE, CONTRAST AND CRITIQUE RESEARCH LITERATURE
Conclusion
REFERENCES

Introduction
 ACORN standards for perioperative nursing are the standards which constitute the
speciality and expertise knowledge of perioperative nursing.
 They represent the accepted standards which are necessary for professional perioperative
nursing practice. These standards are regularly reviewed and update.
 In the case study, Lucy is 82 years old women who is suffering from
Osteoarthritis and is advised to undergo knee surgery.
 In the presentation, one statement form ACORN standards will be selected from the given
options. It will further be appraised, contract and criticised with the literature review.

Selecting statement
 ACRON Standard: Anaesthetic Nurse
An Anaesthetic Nurse is the assistant of an Anaesthetist in administration of anaesthetic during
and before surgery.
 Statement: Receiving the patient into operating room and establishing rapport with the
patient through asking and answering questions and checking identification and consent.

Discussion:
 The chosen statement of ACRON Standard states that the perioperative role of an
Anaesthetic Nurse is to create a harmonious relationship with the patients in order to get an
understanding of their feelings and establishing good communication with them.
 Through establishment of close professional relations, the Anaesthetic Nurse is also
responsible for asking the questions of comfort, consent and information regarding the care
service to be implemented

Continue…
 Lucy is elder and face various other implication for which she is on medications such as acidity.
 All the medications are reviewed by the Anaesthetic Nurse so that their risks related to surgery can
be minimised. Before the surgery Lucy underwent a detailed anatomy procedure through a CT
scan.
 Anaesthetic Nurse is obligated to discuss the reason for evaluation with Lucy and its implications.
Before the surgery the Anaesthetic Nurse have to ask various questions to Lucy regarding her
comfort. One of the major duty of an Anaesthetic Nurse is to share the consent and information
gathered from the patient with an Anaesthetist who is appointed for the patient.
 The Anaesthetic Nurse will discuss and share the consent, answers and information gathered
from Lucy with the Anaesthetist so that the adequate plan, procedure and medications regarding
surgery can be prepared. It will also help in analysing the amount of anaesthesia required for
Lucy's surgery.

APPRAISE, CONTRAST AND CRITIQUE RESEARCH
LITERATURE
 As per the ACORN standard of anaesthetic nurse roles and requirement of perioperative
nurses is to assist anaesthetic in an appropriate manner.
 There are various roles and responsibilities of anaesthetic nurses that are required to be
fulfilled by them so that they can support and anaesthetic in an appropriate manner for
provision of providing care pre-operation or during operation.
 This statement was used in surgical process by the main Anaesthetist for gaining
information about patient pre-operative condition and whether patient has provided his
consent for whole surgical process or not.

Conclusion
 From the above discussion it can be concluded that the ACORN standards for
perioperative nursing are the standards represent the accepted standards which are
necessary for professional perioperative nursing practice.
 An Anaesthetic Nurse assists an Anaesthetist in administration of vulnerable patients
during and before surgery.
 They creates harmonious relationship with the patients to get an understanding of their
feelings and emotions.
 In case of Lucy, Anaesthetic Nurse is responsible for asking the questions of comfort,
consent and information regarding the care service to be implemented.

REFERENCES
 Books and journals
 Averlid, G. & Høglund, J.S., (2020). The operating room as a learning arena: Nurse
anaesthetist and student nurse anaesthetist perceptions. Journal of clinical nursing, 29(9-
10), pp.1673-1683.
 Donald, R., (2019). ACORN international volunteering and teaching grant report:
Perioperative nursing in Samoa. Journal of Perioperative Nursing, 32(4), pp.41-42.
 Meeusen, V., Mangnus, C. and Masters, S., 2017. Locus of control profile in anaesthetic
nurse and theatre nurse students: A recruiting guideline?. ACORN: The Journal of
Perioperative Nursing in Australia. 30(3). pp.33-37.