* Role of Circulating Nurse: The circulating nurse manages the overall environment of the operating room, ensuring safety and coordination among the surgical team. They are responsible for maintaining patient safety, including correct positioning.
* Prioritizing Safety:
* Risk for anxiety: While relevant, managing anxiety is typically addressed preoperatively and postoperatively, not the immediate intraoperative period.
* Risk for bleeding: While bleeding is a concern, it is primarily monitored and managed by the surgical team.
* Risk for injury related to positioning: During surgery, improper positioning can lead to nerve damage, pressure sores, and musculoskeletal injuries. The circulating nurse must ensure that the
* patient is correctly positioned to avoid these injuries.
* Risk for infection: Preventing infection is crucial, but the sterile field and surgical techniques primarily address this risk.
Conclusion: The highest priority for the circulating nurse is to ensure the patient is correctly positioned to prevent any injury related to positioning, as this is a direct and immediate responsibility during the surgical procedure.References: Surgical nursing textbooks, NCLEX-RN review guides, AORN (Association of periOperative Registered Nurses) guidelines.