Specialty Area Programs - Peri-Operative Nursing

In This Section

The Introduction to Perioperative Services is designed for you to launch your career in Perioperative Nursing. The program combines theoretical knowledge, clinical support and clinical experience in a supported and dynamic environment over a 12 month period. There are 2 intakes per year commencing early and midyear in a calendar year.

NOTE: To be eligible to participate in the program, it is a requirement that you must apply for a Registered Nurse position within a Perioperative team at Footscray, Joan Kirner, Williamstown or Sunshine campus. Recent experience in acute nursing is strongly recommended and peri-operative experience is highly regarded.

Course Structure:

Comprehensive orientation to the peri-operative environment
2 weeks supernumerary to the department
Blended learning including self-directed online learning packages, study days, interactive skills stations, clinical activities and bedside teaching
Clinical, educational and professional support from specialist Clinical educators, Preceptors, and Peri-Operative nursing staff
4 study days in addition to EBA professional development entitlement

Course content covered includes:

Principles of anaesthesia
Advanced patient assessment
Cardiac rhythm strip analysis
Haemodynamic monitoring
Difficult airway/”Can’t Intubate, Can’t Oxygenate” Principles
Care of the post-operative patient
Legal issues in perioperative nursing
Asepsis, sterilisation and reprocessing
Principles of sutures
Radiological safety in the operating room
Coagulopathy, hemostasis and blood loss and blood products administration
Principles of electro-surgery

Masters of Advanced Nursing (Perioperative) / Post graduate studies:

After completion of the Introduction to Perioperative Program you will be considered eligible to apply for the Master of Advanced Nursing (Perioperative) (Western Health’s Perioperative University Partner).

Western Health and Department of Health scholarships are available for learners enrolled in a post graduate course with Western Health’s affiliated university.

How to apply:

All job applications are to be submitted via the Western Health E-recruit portal using the current job vacancies. This can be found at the following link: Careers at Western Health