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Preceptors and facilitators resource page

This member-only resource page has been developed by ACORN Education in collaboration with the Special Interest Group 'Perioperative Preceptors and Facilitators'.

Together, we have been developing tools and resources to assist both the preceptee (student or novice nurse) and the preceptor in providing a high-quality, consistent, and safe orientation and learning experience in the perioperative environment. These resources are developed as a resource for those individuals who's health service organisation may not already have these in place. Please note that the use of these tools are encouraged but are not mandatory.

Access this member-only resource page by clicking here.

Perioperative orientation guide

This ACORN Perioperative Orientation Guide is to be used in conjunction with local healthcare facility orientation guides/ resources/ education learning packages. The guide consists of five key perioperative orientation components that are to be used collectively to introduce a new, or returning, clinician to the perioperative environment:

- Administration

- Week 1

- Week 2

- Specialty-specific orientation

- Seek & find checklist

This checklist is to be used as a guide and is not exhaustive of all aspects of perioperative nursing. Please refer to relevant local, state and national public policies, legislation and standards of practice for consistency.

Download your copy

Surgical hand antisepsis, gowning and gloving video

Hospitals and day surgeries around the country are using this resource, based on evidence-based protocols and procedures, to educate their staff on the procedure for surgical hand antisepsis, gowning and gloving. Available as an e-subscription, perfect for facilities to share among multiple users. 

View Surgical hand antisepsis, gowning and gloving video

Practical clinical skills assessment checklists

Are you unsure about exactly what information and knowledge you need to glean from the clinical setting? Dr Paula Foran and the ACORN Education team has developed practical checklists to assist in the clinical preparation of novice or early career perioperative nurses working within the operating suite.

This is not a definitive list of all required skills, but ACORN thought it may be useful guide to clinical competence and provide a starting point to ensure that learning about valuable skills or tasks is not overlooked.

Download your copy from the links below.

Audit tools

ACORN has developed practice audit tools to measure workplace compliance with a number of ACORN standards. The ACORN Practice Audit Tools (PATs) are available in two bundles:

  • Practice Audit Tools 1: Asepsis and clinical care, and

  • Practice Audit Tools 2: Staff and patient safety.

The PATs are designed to measure perioperative nurses’ compliance and therefore the quality of perioperative nursing care against the nationally recognised professional standards of practice, Standards for Perioperative Nursing in Australia (16th edition). The collected evidence is a measure of the quality of care and provides a mechanism to improve perioperative nursing practice and patient outcomes.

ACORN recommends that practice audits using these tools are conducted for each of the twelve standards, as a minimum, on an annual basis. The PATs may be used more frequently to support local quality improvement programs and the collected audit results will contribute to the evidence requirements for national standards accreditation. Auditors use the audit tool to record the level of compliance with perioperative nurses’ practice during real-time observational audits. After the observation period, the auditor enters the scores into the electronic spreadsheet and review the results.

Purchase your PATs

Perioperative professional development portfolio

Perioperative nurses are increasingly expected to be accountable and responsible for their perioperative practice. Continual development of clinical skills will maintain and improve professional performance and some Australian nursing regulatory authorities require portfolios for renewal of licences to practice.

The ACORN Perioperative professional development portfolio is a valuable instrument to present documentation of knowledge, experience and expertise.

Download your copy