The essence of perianesthesia nursing ¹

Article Outline

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Essence—“The intrinsic or indispensable properties that serve to characterize or identify something; the most important ingredient; the crucial element. Synonym: Soul.”1

IF YOU WERE ASKED TO DESCRIBE the essence (the soul) of perianesthesia nursing, what would you say? Would you begin talking about assessment of the patient’s airway, breathing, and circulation? Would you discuss the aspects of emotional support of the patient before surgery? Would you describe a response to a critical patient? Would you discuss the nurse who sat and cried with the family as the patient died?

If you had to describe the essence of perianesthesia nursing without words, how would you begin? Picture the preanesthesia nurse who assesses and prepares the patient before surgery. Can you see him sitting next to the patient, head tilted, listening carefully to a question asked by the patient? Picture the nurse in PACU as she connects the patient to the monitor while listening to report from anesthesia and assessing the patient at the same time. Picture the PACU nurse as he quickly reaches for the IV line to increase the rate of IV fluid for a patient who is suddenly hypotensive. Picture the team of PACU nurses as they respond to a critical need for a patient—one at the head of the patient with an ambu bag, another listening to the chest with a stethoscope, another nurse running up with the crash cart, and another team member on the telephone calling the physician. Picture the nurse in the Phase II postanesthesia area smiling as she hands the patient his juice. Picture her hand on the arm of the patient’s wife as she answers a question. Picture the nurse helping the elderly patient gently into the car for the ride home from the outpatient surgery facility.

The Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing is giving you an opportunity to portray the essence or soul of perianesthesia nursing in a photograph. Did you notice the new cover photos on this issue? They will be the cover photos for all JoPAN issues in 2004. These pictures were the three winners of last year’s cover contest sponsored by JoPAN and Elsevier (Table 1). These pictures reflect the essence of perianesthesia nursing as captured in time by the nurses who took the photos.

Table 1. Cover Photograph Winners

Look for the box in this issue with details about the cover contest. The JoPAN Editorial Board makes the decision regarding winners, based not only on quality of the photograph, but as they reflect the different characteristics of our specialty. This cover is a reflection of our nurses who work with pediatric patients, the postanesthesia team in a PACU, and a nurse at the patient’s bedside. I think all of us can identify with one or more of the photographs.

We know there are many ways to reflect the essence of perianesthesia nursing practice. Just look at the diversity of articles in this issue. The articles on body piercing and domestic violence assist us in the preoperative arena to deal with these issues. The articles on medication errors and aromatherapy are specific to those of us who specialize in postanesthesia nursing. What reflects the essence of your practice? Let us know. Send us that photograph. Capture “soul” on camera. We want to see it.

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References 

1. Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. Essence. 2003; Available at www.dictionary.com. Accessed December 18,
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• 1 The ideas and opinions reflected in this editorial are those solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ASPAN, the Journal, or the Publisher.