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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
T
heresa Criscitelli, EdD, RN, CNOR,
set out to write the rules and princi-
ples of surgical nursing on the head
of a pin so that new operating room nurs-
es could quickly get the hang of working
cases. The end result of Dr. Criscitelli's
efforts: a slim, pocket-sized book called
"Fast Facts for the Operating Room Nurse:
An Orientation and Care Guide in a
Nutshell." The concise, easy-to-access
resource is aimed at nurses who are new
to the operating room and the experi-
enced nurses who guide them.
The $30 book (tinyurl.com/qb5ponk)
contains a wealth of current, evidence-
based clinical practice information that
perioperative nurses need daily. Based
on current standards and recommended practices, it is organized to provide speedy
access to critical information, says Dr. Criscitelli, a doctorate-prepared nurse who
has spent 26 years working in the operating room and is the assistant director of
professional nursing practice and education at Winthrop-University Hospital in
Mineola, N.Y.
It addresses needed supplies and important protocols, personal and patient
preparation, environmental concerns and documentation requirements, and
describes the wide range of specific technical skills needed by both circulating and
scrub nurses. Also included is an overview of the most common surgical procedures.
— Dan O'Connor
Orientation Just Got Easier
