For this reflective account, I am going to be looking at the standards of proficiency number 13.1 which requires operating department practitioners to understand the anatomy and physiology of the human body, together with knowledge of health, diseases, disorders, and dysfunctions relevant to their profession (Health & Care Professions Council, 2014). While doing so, I will also apply Driscoll’s reflective cycle. I will retain confidentiality throughout by not mentioning the hospital’s name and location according to standard 7 of the guideline (Health & Care Professions Council, 2014). I will begin by addressing a specific case with my mentor, then describe the events following her advice, and make a conclusion about what I have learned.
During my scrub placement, my mentor asked me to double scrub with her for a left hemicolectomy case, so that I could start getting more confident preparing different instrument trays and relay my learning progress to her later. Even though I had already scrubbed for minor cases, I had to be honest with my mentor about what I could do. I told her that I would scrub while only counting and checking the instruments. In return, she said that minor colorectal examination cases do not provide a full understanding of a scrub role and that the case would help me gain more insight into my role. I agreed with her judgment and decided to participate in the procedure. Afterward, my mentor asked me to explain what I had learned, and I told her that I needed more exposure to laparoscopic cases to learn how to pass instruments to the surgeons. She was not completely satisfied with my answers and asked me to do more research about the scrub role before signing my competencies.
After reading my lecture notes and consulting additional scholarly sources, I discovered that the scrub practitioner must have a good knowledge and understanding of the surgery to be performed. For example, one should be aware of the medical terminology such as prefixes and suffixes, understand the relevant anatomy for the procedure and what goal should be achieved, and reflect on the ongoing actions (Jones, 2009). For that surgery, the right side of the colon had to be removed from a patient with Crohn’s disease, and the positioning for the right and left hemicolectomy are different. Therefore, having knowledge of anatomy and physiology is crucial to preparing the right instruments, local anesthetic, and theatre layout.
Furthermore, in the theatres with a surgical safety check, we identified the site of the procedure and reduced the incidence of errors to improve the outcomes for the patients undergoing surgery. They were unconscious, and we became their advocates, checking the care plans and the consent forms to confirm the correct part of the anatomy will be removed (Abbott and Booth, 2014). It was important so that as a multidisciplinary team, we could provide safe and excellent care (Abbott and Booth, 2014). People from various demographics were among those requiring our attention, and we tried to ensure that everyone would receive high-quality service. The experience was mostly positive, and I do not regret my decision to participate in the procedure, although I did feel that my skills were insufficient compared to the rest.
In conclusion, the incident made me understand my role, which requires attention to detail, knowledge of anatomy and physiology, constant maintenance of the instrument integrity, good team communication, and responsibility for patients. Looking back at the minor cases I supervised, I realized how much knowledge it requires to deliver a high standard of perioperative care and that I will always have to update it. In my next scrub placement, I will be more confident to scrub for any procedures while considering what I want to achieve and keeping patient safety in mind.
Reference List
Abbott, H. & Booth, H. (2014). Foundations for operating department practice: essential theory for practice. London: Open University Press.
Health & Care Professions Council. (2014). Standards of proficiency: operating department practitioners. Web.
Jones, A. (2009). ‘The reflective practitioner in perioperative settings’, in Smith, B. et al. (eds.) Core topics in operating department practice: leadership and management. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.