Training OR Nurses for Open Heart Surgeries

It’s critical that OR nurses maintain their skills and competencies related to various surgeries, but how can a hospital ensure that its staff is well-prepared for complicated procedures, such as open heart surgeries, when they don’t see many cases? Fairview Hospital, a Cleveland Clinic regional hospital, turned to its main campus for help cross-training its open heart team.

Cross-training OR nurses

In the spring of 2014, Fairview Hospital began sending its open heart team to the main campus for training after it experienced turnover among the group. “We didn’t have a large volume of cases. We did about one open heart surgery a day at the time,” says Janet Duran, MSN, MHA, RN, perioperative director for Fairview Hospital. “I reached out to main campus to see if there was any way we could send new-hire open heart nurses and surgical technicians downtown for training because the volume there is so much greater than ours.”

Nursing leadership at main campus readily accepted Duran’s request. “We are all one Cleveland Clinic,” says Dawn Schultz, MSN, CNOR, director of the heart and vascular ORs at main campus near downtown Cleveland. “We understand the need to train. Our volume here is greater, so it makes sense that we would assist Fairview with training. Also, from a long-term perspective, if we are ever in a bind Fairview can return the favor and send us nurses to assist with surgeries.” The team from the regional hospital is trained on protocols used at main campus and becomes familiar with its operating rooms, so members can easily fill in there.

Another benefit of cross-training at main campus is that nurses and surgical technicians are prepared more quickly than if they waited to receive orientation at Fairview Hospital, says Duran.

In-class and hands-on training

Fairview perioperative nurses participate in the same Perioperative Nurse Residency program as those from main campus. Nurses who are completely new to the operating room undertake an intensive 12-week perioperative course, which includes one day of classroom learning and simulation each week and four days of hands-on learning. The course is held every eight weeks for all new Cleveland Clinic OR nurses. “We wanted to standardize throughout our healthcare system the education our perioperative teams receive,” says Shanon Schady, RN, perioperative educator for cardiothoracic and vascular surgery.

Afterward, those nurses, as well as experienced OR nurses who are new to open heart surgery, are then teamed with a nurse experienced in open heart surgery. They shadow the preceptor for two weeks to get a good understanding and foundation in what it takes to be a member of the open heart team. Next, the trainee cycles through all of the Heart & Vascular Institute’s OR service lines, including endovascular, robotic, thoracic and vascular surgery.

A part of the No. 1 heart program

So far, Fairview has sent seven nurses and surgical technicians to main campus for training. “It’s a small group of people with a high skill level,” says Duran. The cross-training program has been very successful.

“Our surgeons love having nurses and surgical technicians who are experienced,” says Duran. “They come back well educated and confident. And our patients receive the same world-class care they would receive downtown at the No. 1 ranked heart program in the country.”

Photo ©Russell Lee