by means of working together on lea...

by means of working together on learning teams that include the pair nurses and surgical technologists, all surgical team members can achieve their educational and training goals. With the eventual decrease in the number of perioperative pampers due to retirement, new sources of employee will be necessityed to replenish perioperative nursing and other health care professions. single such source is surgical technologists, and perioperative pampers must take a proactive approach to mentor these individuals. This article discusses a program that educates perioperative pampers and surgical technologists simultaneously to fit the perioperative education needs of individuals in one as well as the other roles.

TEAM APPROACH

In my office hangs a picture of interlocking labyrinth pieces. One piece hovers in the balance waiting to consummate the puzzle, and the caption reads "Team, Together Everyone Achieves More." In the perioperative agriculture the surgical team often comprises an RN surgical technologist, surgeon assistant or resident, and anesthesia care provider. Although these are diverse professionals, they are wait fored to work together to achieve their highest priority--quality patient care. The question we undertook at our academic setting was whether RN and surgical technologists can be trained simultaneously and whether learning can be more lucky when approached as a team effort.

LITERATURE REVIEW

often of the literature reflects the team learning conception One study found that members of a multiprofessional groups were able to identify issues affecting collaboration and teamwork after attending a pilot course. The course featured small clump discussions in which students could use their problem-solving skills. The students' combined expertise, unique perspectives, and individual experience helped identify a plan to work together. pupils indicated on the course evaluations that they now had increased knowledge and understanding of other health care professions and more positive attitudes. bookish mans also said the course demonstrated the importance of multiprofessional teamwork and communication. (1)

This inquiry found that in multiprofessional education, teamwork is emphasized based upon the belief that all health care professionals must work together to provide better patient care. In addition, educating multiprofessionals simultaneously can help change individuals' attitudes on increasing their knowledge and understanding of other professionals' patient care contributions. The consideration found that this understanding can improve relationships, increase trust, and dispel stereotype (2)

In united study, teamwork in health care organizations was defined as a coordinated effort among several individuals who place the team's goals and interests above their admit (3) Another researcher concurred, indicating that each team member offers individual mights and weaknesses and that teamwork requires each team member to compensate for others' weaknesses with his or her concede strengths. (4)

part of mentor. In 1989, the English National Board for Nursing redefined a mentor as "a character who would be selected through the student to assist, befriend, guide, advise, and counsel" (5) This definition does not identify age or experience moreover states that effective mentoring hangs on the relationship of the sum of two units people involved. (6)

single in kind study identified three requirements for a happy mentor, including

* subscription of time and energy

* mutual reverence and

* mutual attraction. (7)

There also are three basic mentoring parts including

* inspirer,

* inventor, and

* supporter. (8)

The inquiry identified characteristics that nurses indicated as being significant in their guidance and increase and which they believe are essential in a potential mentor. (9) about of these characteristics include those of part model, energizer, supporter, and counselor.

TEAM LEARNING

The literature indicates that education and training can be more beneficial by the agency of using a multiprofessional environment and a positive mentoring relationship. In line with this, as a clinical assistant professor in the surgical technology program at the University of Medicine and Dentistry/School of Health Related Professions, wound Plains, NJ, I developed a program for perioperative foments titled the "Perioperative Nursing Tract for RN in Coordination with the Surgical Technology Program."

Background. I taught a perioperative program in the late eighties that was discontinued because of lack of ne and interest on local hospitals. Although I began receiving telephone calls in the mid-nineties from encourages interested in the OR and looking for a perioperative nursing program, I was stoped from restarting the program befitting to lack of hospital sponsors for students' clinical experience. of that kind hospitals hire or transfer from in-house individual or more students to be trained in the perioperative setting.

Determining the ne The number of telephone calls from foments seeking their own perioperative education assumeed to be increasing. I realized there was an increasing awareness of and interest in perioperative nursing. The nearest question was whether there was a ne for a perioperative program.