Surgical care practitioner
Surgical care practitioners are established members of the surgery team within healthcare organisations. Their main responsibilities are to support surgeons and other professionals before, during and after surgical procedures.
Surgical care practitioners provide care in an operating theatre, on wards and in clinics. They are trained to undertake some surgical procedures under appropriate supervision and within their allowed scope of practice. They are directly responsible to the consultant surgeon.
Working life
You'll be a trained clinical professional, such as a theatre nurse or operating department practitioner, who has received further training. You're trained to undertake a range of tasks in a surgical environment under the direct supervision of surgeon including:
- managing clinics where you would see patients before surgery including ensuring they are placed on surgery lists
- assessing patients to ensure they are clinically fit and healthy for the surgery
- preparing patients for surgery including venepuncture and catheterisation
- surgical procedures under direct supervision of a surgeon such as wound closure, harvesting veins and carpel tunnel surgery,
- supporting a supervising surgeon as as a first or second assistant
- daily ward rounds, making assessments and formulating plans for patients’ post-operative care
- writing of operation notes and ward round note taking
- care after the surgery eg wound assessment, treatment and identification of surgical problems and complications
- provision of support to on-call and emergency services
- evaluating a patient's condition, including the discharge process and follow-up care arrangements
- training of trainee surgeons
- prescribing appropriate medications
Entry requirements
Education institutions will decide on their own specific academic requirements for entry onto their programme. However, the minimum entry requirements for entry to a recognised training programme are:
- evidence of an ability to study at Level 7 or above eg at Master’s level)
- qualified and registered healthcare professional eg with the Nursing and Midwifery Council if you are a nurse or the Health and Care Professions Council if you are an allied health professional.
- evidence of at least 18 months post registration experience
You'll also need
- commitment to patient care and patient safety
- understanding of a multidisciplinary team especially with respect to the changing role of surgery
- recognition of the role and responsibilities of being a trainee surgical care practitioner
- understanding of the training programme
- an aptitude for both clinical and operative practice
- recognition that educational as well as clinical development will be required.
Accreditation of prior experiential learning will be dependent upon the local Higher Education Institution requirements.
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