Example SOPs: Surgical Nurse

Surgical Nurse SOPs

Creating Standard Operating Procedures for your Surgical Nurse work can be difficult and take time. That’s why we’ve created these example Surgical Nurse SOPs so you can jumpstart your SOP creation process. We want to help you set up your Healthcare systems and processes by taking these sample SOPs and building out your own SOPs template library. By having all your Healthcare procedures in one place, your team will have the information they need at all times. Let’s look at some Surgical Nurse SOP examples.

Surgical Nurse SOP Examples

1. Preoperative Patient Assessment: The purpose of this SOP is to ensure a thorough assessment of patients scheduled for surgery, including their medical history, allergies, current medications, and any potential risks or complications. The scope of this SOP includes all patients scheduled for surgery in the healthcare facility. The surgical nurse is responsible for conducting the preoperative assessment. This SOP may reference other SOPs such as “Informed Consent Process” and “Preoperative Checklist.”

2. Surgical Site Preparation: This SOP aims to provide guidelines for the proper preparation of the surgical site to minimize the risk of infection. It includes steps such as patient skin preparation, draping, and sterilization of surgical instruments. The scope of this SOP covers all surgical procedures performed in the healthcare facility. The surgical nurse, along with the surgical team, is responsible for following this SOP. References to other SOPs may include “Sterilization and Disinfection Procedures” and “Surgical Instrument Handling.”

3. Intraoperative Patient Monitoring: The purpose of this SOP is to outline the procedures for monitoring patients during surgery to ensure their safety and well-being. It includes monitoring vital signs, anesthesia administration, and maintaining a sterile environment. The scope of this SOP applies to all surgical procedures performed in the healthcare facility. The surgical nurse, in collaboration with the anesthesiologist and surgical team, is responsible for adhering to this SOP. References to other SOPs may include “Anesthesia Administration” and “Surgical Team Communication.”

4. Postoperative Care: This SOP provides guidelines for the postoperative care of patients, including pain management, wound care, and monitoring for complications. The scope of this SOP covers all patients who have undergone surgery in the healthcare facility. The surgical nurse, in collaboration with the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) team, is responsible for implementing this SOP. References to other SOPs may include “Pain Management Protocols” and “Wound Care Procedures.”

5. Medication Administration: The purpose of this SOP is to ensure the safe and accurate administration of medications to surgical patients. It includes procedures for medication verification, dosage calculation, and documentation. The scope of this SOP applies to all medication administration in the healthcare facility, specifically for surgical patients. The surgical nurse, in collaboration with the pharmacy department, is responsible for following this SOP. References to other SOPs may include “Medication Storage and Handling” and “Medication Error Reporting.”

6. Emergency Response: This SOP outlines the procedures for responding to emergencies that may occur during surgery, such as cardiac arrest, anaphylaxis, or severe bleeding. It includes steps for initiating the emergency response team, performing life-saving interventions, and documenting the incident. The scope of this SOP covers all surgical procedures in the healthcare facility. The surgical nurse, along with the surgical team and emergency response team, is responsible for following this SOP. References to other SOPs may include “Code Blue Protocol” and “Emergency Equipment Maintenance.”

7. Surgical Instrument Sterilization: The purpose of this SOP is to provide guidelines for the proper sterilization and handling of surgical instruments to prevent infection and ensure their safe use. It includes procedures for decontamination, packaging, and sterilization methods. The scope of this SOP applies to all surgical instruments used in the healthcare facility. The surgical nurse, in collaboration with the sterile processing department, is responsible for adhering to this SOP. References to other SOPs may include “Instrument Cleaning Procedures” and “Sterile Packaging Guidelines.”

8. Surgical Team Communication: This SOP aims to establish effective communication among the surgical team members to ensure patient safety and efficient workflow during surgery. It includes protocols for preoperative briefing, intraoperative communication, and postoperative debriefing. The scope of this SOP covers all surgical procedures performed in the healthcare facility. The surgical nurse, along with the surgical team, is responsible for following this SOP. References to other SOPs may include “Handoff Communication” and “Teamwork and Collaboration Guidelines.”

9. Infection Control Practices: The purpose of this SOP is to outline the infection control measures to be followed by surgical nurses to prevent the spread of infections in the healthcare facility. It includes procedures for hand hygiene, personal protective equipment (PPE) use, and isolation precautions. The scope of this SOP applies to all healthcare workers, including surgical nurses, in the healthcare facility. The surgical nurse is responsible for adhering to this SOP. References to other SOPs may include “Isolation Precautions” and “Cleaning and Disinfection Procedures.”

10. Documentation and Record-Keeping: This SOP provides guidelines for the accurate and timely documentation of patient information, surgical procedures, and nursing interventions. It includes procedures for electronic health record (EHR) documentation, consent forms, and incident reporting. The scope of this SOP covers all patient-related documentation in the healthcare facility. The surgical nurse, in collaboration with the nursing department, is responsible for following this SOP. References to other SOPs may include “Consent Form Completion” and “Incident Reporting Procedures.”

Surgical Nurse SOP Templates

Looking for SOP templates for your Surgical Nurse work? We’ve got you covered. You can build out your company SOPs using the sample SOP information above (added to our template) or our team can put together a starter SOPs template based on your Surgical Nurse work. Get in touch if you’ve got questions about the quickest way to build out your Healthcare SOPs library.