Final answer:
True, the nurse has a critical role in ensuring a patient's preparedness and optimal state for surgery through a series of confirmed checks with the surgical team, focused on patient safety and surgical success.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, it is the nurse's role to ascertain the person's preparedness for surgery or procedure and to ensure that they are in the optimal state for the procedure. This involves a multitude of checks and balances among the entire surgical team. Before induction of anesthesia, members of the team, especially the nurse and the anesthesia professional, orally confirm critical aspects such as the patient's identity, surgical site, procedure, and consent. Additionally, nursing staff review the confirmation of sterility, equipment availability, and other concerns.
The surgical team, including surgeons, nurses, and anesthesia staff, collaborate to review critical steps, expected duration, anticipated blood loss, patient-specific anesthesia concerns, risk of aspiration, and equipment needs. The nurse plays a vital role in ensuring that the needle, sponge, and instrument counts are complete, specimens are correctly labeled, and any issues with equipment are addressed.
This collaborative approach, where each member including the nurse has specific responsibilities, helps ensure patient safety and optimal outcomes for surgical procedures.