Final answer:
Nurses must ensure their ability to perform procedures confidently, manage outcomes, and maintain patient safety through actions like informed consent, reviewing critical events, and adhering to surgical protocols. They must be competent, have proper authority, and be prepared with necessary resources to address any procedure outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Prior to performing procedures, nurses ensure that they are able to identify the potential outcomes of procedures, have the authority and competence to perform the procedure, or have the resources available to manage those outcomes. In healthcare settings, it is essential that medical professionals, including nurses, are prepared for the procedures they conduct. This preparation includes understanding the possible outcomes, confirming their own authority and competence, and ensuring that all necessary resources are ready to address any outcomes. Nurses are also required to ensure safety, informed consent, and adherence to protocols like the surgical checklist which assists in confirming patient identity, procedure details, and readiness of the surgical environment.
Further responsibilities of the nursing staff include reviewing critical events with their team, such as blood loss, sterility confirmations, and equipment checks. These precautions are part of the broader context of patient safety and efficient procedural conduct. Nurses play a critical role in the dynamics of the medical team, often balancing between their own responsibilities and the directions provided by surgeons or anesthesiologists. Practicing these steps ensures that patients' rights to privacy, dignity, and safety are prioritized, and that they are guarded against personal harm through the preservation of confidentiality and the seeking of properly informed consent.