Celebrating Perioperative Nurses Week at St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital

We’ve been celebrating Perioperative Nurses Week (PNW) all week, recognising the essential role our perioperative nurses team play in caring for our patients.

8 Oct 2020

As part of our celebrations, we spoke to Clinical Nurse Specialist Shannon Francis about what she loves about her role in the perioperative department.

“Our perioperative team provides care for patients in the period prior to, during or right after surgery,” Shannon said.

“Each day is challenging, fast-paced, interesting, exciting and no day is the same. It’s such a varied role with so many cogs to ensure the smooth running and best delivery of care for the patients we see.

“Being part of the St John of God Mt Lawley perioperative family gives me an enormous sense of pride.”

Shannon has worked at St John of God Mt Lawley since 2013 and is part of a team of 74 caring for approximately 600 patients a month.

The Mt Lawley perioperative nursing team encompasses a variety of speciality roles, including circulating, scrub & anaesthetic nurses, anaesthetic technicians, orderlies, post-op anaesthetic care nurses, and central sterilising department staff.

The department is made up of seven operating theatres with surgeons and anaesthetists delivering around 150 surgeries each week that include obstetrics, plastics, bariatrics, paediatrics, orthopaedics, urology, gynaecology, ear nose and throat, dental and oral facial.

“I love the fast pace and how closely you work with fellow caregivers. Caring for a patient post-surgery, knowing they will heal gives us all an enormous sense of camaraderie. Our hospital has a lovely community feel and you can tell that the caregivers are genuinely here to help our patients,” Shannon said.

Other team celebrations have included a celebratory cake, education sessions and quizzes (won by Theatre 6 caregivers). A highlight of the week was the Appreciation Awards. Congratulations to Registered Nurses, Sonia Tsesmelis and Katrina Jackson, who were joint winners and Joo See Chan, Kathleen Cambray and Shannon Francis who all had special mentions given by the rest of the team. A thank you goes to IGA Maylands for kindly donating chocolates for the prizes.

Thank you to every single member of the Mt Lawley perioperative nursing team – we appreciate everything you do.