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Professional Practice Standards for Perioperative Nurses (PPSPN)

Guide to selecting the evidence

Legislative and organisational accreditation1,2 and registration requirements3 underpin the recommendations included in the 2023 Professional Practice Standards for Perioperative Nurses (PPSPN) for Individuals. These include:

  • professional practice standards3–7 and safety and quality standards,2 codes,8,9 frameworks,10–12

  • guidelines13–15 and policies

  • federal or jurisdictional mandates, guidelines and schemes13–24

  • the expert opinion of perioperative-related professional colleges and organisations.25–37

Where there was insufficient or no evidence, ACORN drew upon expert testimony using the expert’s knowledge and experience to make recommendations. All recommendations were reviewed by the relevant specialised workstream teams (WST) engaged throughout ACORN’s multi-year Roadmap Project (RMP). Recommendations were modified based on WST feedback.

In the PPSPN drafting period, ACORN developed clear, collaborative and transparent methods of involving people affected by each standard. ACORN’s development of an online member and public comment process enabled stakeholders to review the evidence referenced within each draft standard. The RMP’s National Leadership Group reviewed stakeholder feedback, including the addition and amendment of the cited evidence. 

The evidence included in the PPSPN defines and sets out ‘best practice’ perioperative nursing care and service provision. It also addresses elements of perioperative nursing care and service provision that are:

  • considered essential by regulatory bodies

  • established practice for which there is evidence that the majority of practitioners have implemented

  • the recommendation

  • considered emergent areas of perioperative nursing practice.

Implementation of the recommendations in the PPSPN enables improvements in safety and quality as well as measures to reduce inappropriate variation in Australian perioperative nursing and ensures that service provision is evidence-based.

References

  1. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC). National safety and quality health service standards guide for day procedure services [Internet]. Sydney: ACSQHC; 2017 [cited 2021 Nov 17]. Available from: www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-04/National-Safety-and-Quality-Health-Service-Standards-Guide-for-Day-Procedure-Services_0.pdf

  2. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC). National safety and quality health service standards. 2nd ed. – version 2. [Internet]. Sydney: ACSQHC; 2021 [cited 2021 Aug 3]. Available from: www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/nsqhs-standards

  3. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Registration standards [Internet]. Melbourne: NMBA; 2021 [updated 2021 Mar 15; cited 2021 Aug 10]. Available from: www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Registration-Standards.aspx

  4. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Registered nurse standards for practice [Internet]. Melbourne: NMBA; 2016 [cited 2021 Aug 31]. Available from: www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/Professional-standards/registered-nurse-standards-for-practice.aspx

  5. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Enrolled nurse standards for practice [Internet]. Melbourne: NMBA; 2016 [updated 2017 Feb 11; cited 2021 Aug 30]. Available from: www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/Professional-standards/enrolled-nurse-standards-for-practice.aspx

  6. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Nurse practitioner standards for practice [Internet]. Melbourne: NMBA; 2021 [updated 2021 Mar 3; cited 2021 Aug 31]. Available from: www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/Professional-standards/nurse-practitioner-standards-of-practice.aspx

  7. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Professional standards [Internet]. Melbourne: NMBA; 2021 [updated 2021 Nov 9; cited 2021 Nov 23]. Available from: www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/Professional-standards.aspx

  8. International Council of Nurses (ICN). The ICN code of ethics for nurses [Internet]. Geneva: ICN; 2012 [updated 2021; cited 2021 Aug 19]. Available from: www.icn.ch/system/files/2021-10/ICN_Code-of-Ethics_EN_Web_0.pdf

  9. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Code of conduct for nurses [Internet]. Melbourne: NMBA; 2018 [cited 2021 Nov 16]. Available from: www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/documents/default.aspx?record=WD17%2f23849&dbid=AP&chksum=ki92NMPa9thp9f9ZhTQNJg%3d%3d

  10. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Decision-making framework for nursing and midwifery [Internet]. Melbourne: NMBA; 2020 [cited 2021 Aug 10]. Available from: www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/documents/default.aspx?record=WD19%2f29157&dbid=AP&chksum=9LilUkdFvM5AJeKIaJZd1A%3d%3d

  11. Australian College of Nursing (ACN). Nurse executive capability framework [Internet]. Canberra: ACN; 2019 [cited 2021 Aug 9]. Available from: www.acn.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/Nurse-Executive-Capability-Framework.pdf

  12. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Supervised practice framework [Internet]. Melbourne: NMBA; 2022 [cited 2022 Apr 26]. Available from: www.ahpra.gov.au/Publications/Supervised-practice/Supervised-practiceframework.aspx

  13. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Guidelines: Continuing professional development [Internet]. Melbourne: NMBA; 2016 [cited 2021 Apr 20]. Available from: www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/documents/default.aspx?record=WD16%2f19501&dbid=AP&chksum=DD3%2fGlpTYWrI%2fgaguW6x7g%3d%3d

  14. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Safety and quality guidelines for nurse practitioners [Internet]. Melbourne: NMBA; 2021 [cited 2021 Apr 20]. Available from: www.ahpra.gov.au/documents/default.aspx?record=WD21%2f30789&dbid=AP&chksum=HhJlokCOWLbQhSohYXKKWQ%3d%3d

  15. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Supervision guidelines for nursing and midwifery [Internet]. Melbourne: NMBA; 2021 [updated 2021 May 12; cited 2021 Nov 23]. Available from: www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Registration-and-Endorsement/Supervised-practice.aspx

  16. Australasian Health Infrastructure Alliance (AHIA). Australian health facility guidelines [Internet]. AHIA; 2016 [updated 2016 June 26; cited 2021 Aug 9]. Available from: https://aushfg-prod-com-au.s3.amazonaws.com/HPU_B.0270_6_2.pdf

  17. Australian and New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion (ANZSBT). Guidelines for the administration of blood products [Internet]. Sydney: ANZSBT; 2018 [cited 2021 Sep 2]. Available from: https://anzsbt.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ANZSBT_Guidelines_Administration_Blood_Products_3rdEd_Jan_2018.pdf

  18. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC). Correct identification and procedure matching [Internet]. Sydney: ACSQHC; 2019 [cited 2021 June 30]. Available from: www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/nsqhsstandards/communicating-safety-standard/correct-identification-and-procedure-matching

  19. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC). Antimicrobial stewardship clinical care standard [Internet]. Sydney: ACSQHC; 2020 [cited 2021 June 29]. Available from: www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-11/saq10001_ccs_antimicrobial_v4_film_web.pdf

  20. Australian Government Department of Health. Quality use of medicines (QUM) [Internet]. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia; 2021 [updated 2020 Mar 5; cited 2021 Apr 20]. Available from: www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/nmp-quality.htm

  21. Australian Government Department of Health. MBS online: Medicare benefits schedule [Internet]. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia; 2021 [updated 2020 Sep 20; cited 2021 Apr 20]. Available from: www.mbsonline.gov.au/internet/mbsonline/publishing.nsf/Content/Home

  22. Australian Government Department of Health. Pharmaceutical benefits scheme (PBS) [Internet]. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia; 2021 [updated 2015 Dec 1; cited 2021 Apr 20]. Available from: www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/Pharmaceutical+Benefits+Scheme+%28PBS%29-2

  23. National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Australian guidelines for the prevention and control of infection in healthcare [Internet]. Canberra: NHMRC; 2019 [updated 2021 Jul 20; cited 2021 Nov 16]. Available from: https://app.magicapp.org/#/guideline/Jn37kn

  24. Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods [Internet]. Canberra: TGA; 2019 [updated 2019 Oct 29; cited 2021 Aug 10]. Available from: www.tga.gov.au/australian-register-therapeutic-goods

  25. Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). PS53 – Statement on the handover responsibilities of the anaesthetist [Internet]. Melbourne: ANZCA; 2013 [cited 2021 Sep 8]. Available from: www.anzca.edu.au/getattachment/74eae67f-3d96-4a81-a737-5b2cc9c1b261/PS53-Statement-on-the-handover-responsibilities-of-theanaesthetist#page=

  26. Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). PS53BP – Statement on the handover responsibilities of the anaesthetist: Background paper [Internet]. Melbourne: ANZCA; 2013 [cited 2021 Sep 8]. Available from: www.anzca.edu.au/getattachment/04b3311d-d184-4b18-9cd7-fbaf3a17e613/PS53BP-Statement-on-the-handoverresponsibilities-of-the-anaesthetist-Background-Paper#page=

  27. Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). PS08 – Statement on the assistant for the anaesthetist [Internet]. Melbourne: ANZCA; 2016 [cited 2021 Jun 2]. Available from: www.anzca.edu.au/getattachment/473f7e0d-b14a-4939-aad1-034c0474c603/PS08-Statement-on-the-assistant-for-the-anaesthetist#page=

  28. Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). PS18 – Guideline on monitoring during anaesthesia [Internet]. Melbourne: ANZCA; 2017 [cited 2021 Sep 3]. Available from: www.anzca.edu.au/getattachment/0c2d9717-fa82-4507-a3d6-3533d8fa844d/PS18-Guideline-on-monitoring-during-anaesthesia

  29. Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). PS07 – Guideline on pre-anaesthesia consultation and patient preparation [Internet]. Melbourne: ANZCA; 2017 [cited 2021 Aug 9]. Available from: www.anzca.edu.au/getattachment/d2c8053c-7e76-410e-93ce-3f9a56ffd881/PS07-Guideline-on-pre-anaesthesia-consultation-and-patientpreparation#page

  30. Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). What is anaesthesia? [Internet]. Melbourne: ANZCA; 2017 [updated 2020 Jun 30; cited 2021 Sep 3]. Available from: www.anzca.edu.au/getattachment/99fa7259-d1da-4560-bdc6-c758f4b38ec7/What-is-anaesthesia

  31. Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). PS59 – Statement on roles in anaesthesia and perioperative care [Internet]. Melbourne: ANZCA; 2017 [updated 2020 Jun 30; cited 2021 Sep 3]. Available from: www.anzca.edu.au/getattachment/b954cbdd-aee1-467d-893a-358990d13317/PS59-Statement-on-roles-in-anaesthesiaand-perioperative-care#page=

  32. Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). PG15(POM) – Guideline for the perioperative care of patients selected for day stay procedures [Internet]. Melbourne: ANZCA; 2018 [updated 2021 Aug 9; cited 2021 Nov 23]. Available from: www.anzca.edu.au/getattachment/021e4205-af5a-415d-815d-b16be1fe8b62/PS15-Guideline-for-theperioperative-care-of-patients-selected-for-day-stay-procedures#page

  33. Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). PS04 – Statement on the post-anaesthesia care unit [Internet]. Melbourne: ANZCA; 2020 [cited 2021 Aug 19]. Available from: www.anzca.edu.au/getattachment/7045495a-0f12-4464-852c-b93c0453e1ed/PS04-Statement-on-the-post-anaesthesia-care-unit

  34. Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). Professional documents [Internet]. Melbourne: ANZCA; 2021 [updated 2021 Jul 2; cited 2021 Aug 10]. Available from: www.anzca.edu.au/safety-advocacy/standards-of-practice/policies,-statements,-and-guidelines

  35. Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). PS55 – Position statement on minimum facilities for safe administration of anaesthesia in operating suites and other anaesthetising locations [Internet]. Melbourne: ANZCA; 2021 [updated 2021 Aug 30; cited 2021 Sep 2]. Available from: www.anzca.edu.au/getattachment/7ee1b267-8c29-414e-86c2-6d0e50933d43/PS55-Position-statement-on-minimum-facilities-for-safe-administration-of-anaesthesia-inoperating-suites-and-other-anaesthetising-locations#page=

  36. Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP). ACNP Position statement nurse practitioner scope of practice [Internet]. Melbourne: ACNP; 2019 [cited 2021 Jul 21]. Available from: www.acnp.org.au/client_images/2159748.pdf

  37. Australian College of PeriAnaesthesia Nurses (ACPAN). Professional standards for perianaesethisa nurses [Internet]. Melbourne: ACPAN; 2019 [cited 2021 Feb 17]. Available from: https://acpan.edu.au/acpan-standards/