A Brief History of Perioperative Nursing

1. Perioperative nursing became a specialty in the late 19th century, however, there is limited information recorded about the early days of the perioperative nurse.
2. As knowledge of asepsis and anesthesia was developed, the need to care for patients using Florence Nightingale’s principles of hygiene, ventilation, light, and nourishing diet and activity emerged.
3. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, many nurses received some training to support and assist in the operating theatre.

(Hamlin, 2020).

Early Roles of the Perioperative Nurse

Some of the specific duties that have been recorded for early OR nurses included:

1. Sterilizing all the instruments, sponges, dressings, and water
2. Preparing a hot water bottle to be placed at the patient’s feet if the OR table was long enough
3. Preparing patients for the OR by dressing the patient for the OR
4. Preparing themselves for the OR by taking a hot carbolic bath and wearing perfectly clean clothes

(Hamlin, 2020).