The Theatre Nurse Role a Review of the Literature

Abstract

The role of the theatre nurse is complex, multifaceted and requires many skills. Nurses provide physical care such as scrub, circulating duties and anaesthetic assistant duties, and also psychological care for example pre- and postoperative visiting of patients. The overriding theme in the literature is that the nurse must undertake these roles with the patient as the main focus. David Pidduck examines the role of the theatre nurse and points out that the role may have to change in the future. It is the theatre nurse who should change their role before the role is changed for them.