| Sub-title | |
| Author | Tiziana Camilleri |
| Abstract | The role of nurses in theatre has long been under scrutiny, especially since patient care was not always seen to be the focus of theatre nurses' role. The introduction of Operating Theatre Practitioners as part of the theatre workforce drove theatre nurses to redefine their role and shift their focus more on patient care rather than fulfilling their technical tasks. This study aimed to assess the need for operating theatre practitioners in Malta. It also elicited theatre nurses' perceptions regarding the introduction of these practitioners in Malta. A descriptive survey design was utilized to fulfill these objectives. The tools included two separate interview schedules, one for theatre nurses and the other for theatre managers. 50 theatre nurses were randomly selected from all three theatre suites (M.O.T, O.O.T and O.T.K.G) and consisted of both anaesthetic and scrub nurses. All 10 theatre managers were interviewed. A 100% response rate was achieved. Results indicate that presently there are shortages of theatre nurses. Nurses perform both patient centered care as well as technical duties which do not necessitate their skills. Most nurses are aware of OTPs working in the U.K. The majority believe they should be introduced in Malta after subjected to proper training. Respondents demonstrated an urgent need for a job description for theatre nurses before any attempt is made to introduce these practitioners. Respondents also claimed that should OTPs be introduction locally this will result in nurses having more time to dedicate to patient care. Hence it was concluded that presently there is a need for less qualified staff such as Operating Theatre Practitioners first of all to address the problem of shortage of theatre staff and secondly to make cost-efficient use of the present human resources. One main recommendation included the set-up of a job description for theatre nurses. This will provide theatre nurses with guidelines of what is their actual role in theatre as well as help identify those tasks which could be appropriately delegated to OTPs should they be introduced locally. |
Published in: | |
| Journal | |
| Volume | |
| Pages | - |
| Date | |
| Link to journal | |
| Key words | Needs Assessment, Operating Theatre Practitioners, Thesis, Health Services Management |