Perioperative nurses care for the patients in the period prior during and following surgery or interventional procedures As such, perioperative nursing encompasses a range of specialised roles including, but not limited to holding bay, circulating (scout), anaesthetic, instrument (scrub) and post anaesthetic recovery nurse(recovery). Other roles include Preoperative Patient Assessment and Education Nurse and Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant.

Preoperative Patient Assessment and Education Nurse
This role encompasses two main areas of patient preparation for surgical or procedural intervention. The first being patient assessment which provides information to the surgical team to ensure an optimal patient outcome. The second is the provision of patient education pre and post surgery to ensure patients are better informed and prepared for their individual situation

Holding Bay Nurse
The holding bay nurse is responsible for admission and identification of patients into the Perioperative environment. They undertake to confirm vital information relevant to the patient's immediate preparation for surgery and communicate relevant information to the surgical team. Such information includes: fasting status; correct site surgery protocols; allergies or sensitivities; specific surgical protocols; pathology results; radiological investigations and administration of medications as ordered.

Anaesthetic Nurse
The anaesthetic nurse is a nurse who is appropriately qualified and educated to provide the primary support to the patient and anaesthetist immediately prior to and during a surgical procedure. They assist the anaesthetist in the administration of the anaesthetic including preparation of required equipment, monitoring patient status and pharmacology. The anaesthetic nurse works under the direct supervision of the anaesthetist. As a nursing role, they also may undertake some circulating nursing activities as required. Within the Australian health care system, this role may also be undertaken by suitably qualified anaesthetic technicians whose only role is to support the anaesthetist.

Circulating Nurse
The role of the circulating nurse encompasses an integral support of the instrument nurse by being alert to the requirements of the surgical team and ensuring all supplies are delivered to the surgical field aseptically. They also undertake the management and documentation of all accountable items opened onto the sterile field. Other duties include patient positioning, documentation, collection of specimens, checking of consent, planning and preparation of equipment and the correct count of instrumentation and count procedure.

Instrument Nurse
The instrument nurse assumes primary responsibility and accountability for all items used within the surgical field with the aim of anticipating the needs of the surgical team. They ensure that all instruments, sterile supplies and equipment required for procedures are available and functional. Remain vigilant throughout the surgical procedures in order to recognise and respond to the patient's changing condition, recognising intraoperative complications and responding appropriately.

Postanaesthesia Recovery Nurse
This nursing role provides care for patients immediately following an anaesthetic, surgery or any procedure that has the potential to produce life threatening complications. They are responsible for airway assessment and management, observations of patient, identification and correct action of surgical/anaesthetic complications, post op pain and nausea management, documentation of care and administration of medications as ordered.

Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant
The perioperative nurse undertaking this role should have completed a post graduate course which qualifies him/her to perform the role of assistant to the surgeon. The PNSA has acquired the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to competently provide extended perioperative nursing care. The perioperative nurse surgeon assistant's practice includes pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative care.

All of the above perioperative nursing roles work collaboratively together with the individual roles dependent upon each other to work as a multidisciplinary team with the aim of providing best practice and optimal patient outcomes. The journey for the patient within the perioperative environment ensures one nursing role flows into the next without incident. All the described nursing roles are focused on a systematic approach and all identify the importance of acting as the patient advocate during this experience.

Health Care Facilities (HCF) have detailed job/role descriptions covering the above mentioned roles. Also HCF's have education programs in place to accommodate individual perioperative nurses' learning needs and comprehensive orientation/induction packages, as well as self directed learning packages for specialities.