A Phenomenographic Approach to Understanding the Expertise of Perioperative Nurses

Understanding the ways that perioperative nurses view the acquisition of expertise may provide foundational information for perioperative nurse educators. Our study aimed to evaluate specific types of expertise exhibited by experienced perioperative nurses and identify how nurses perceived these areas of expertise. We interviewed 20 perioperative nurses working in a university hospital in Korea. We extracted six themes regarding perioperative nursing expertise: sticking to principles, using available resources in complex situations, paying close attention to details, seeing the whole picture, prioritizing actions according to patients' conditions, and organizing a team to maximize efficiency. These findings may help perioperative educators develop practical educational strategies for novice perioperative nurses by providing a common language regarding the areas of expertise exhibited by experienced perioperative nurses.