FROM SYSTEMS TO TISSUES: TEACHING POSTGRADUATE PERIOPERATIVE EDUCATION

The teaching of perioperative nursing practice has traditionally been based on the medical model of surgical specialisations, using information transmission as the main teaching approach. It has become clear to perioperative nursing educators that it is possible to look at the basic theoretical principes involved in the teaching of surgical interventions from a different perspective.
This paper presents the results of an exploratory project undertaken to evaluate the change to teaching and learning of surgical specialties in a postgraduate perioperative nursing course undertaken at an Australian university and associated Clinical School. The study employed a qualitative approach, using a reflective approach to teaching, results of a focus groups discussion and subject assessments as data. Research Ethics Committee protocols were followed. A version of nominal group technique was usd for the focus groups interview.
The restructure of this subject shows potential in bringing about a conceptual shift in nurse education in three areas: (1) Organisational principleor curriculum structure: from content focus to theoretical principles; (2) Learning mode: student involvement from passice student to professional decision maker; (3) Teaching strategy: from teacher-focused strategy with intentions to transmit information to a student-focused strategy aimed at students chnaging their conceptions.
This study suggests that perioperative nursing students are able to demonstrate critical thinking and apply principles of surgical technique across a range of surgical specialty areas without having participated in the particular susrgery beforehand.