Happy Perioperative Nurses Week : Nurse Spotlight : Darleen Dagey

16 Nov Happy Perioperative Nurses Week : Nurse Spotlight : Darleen Dagey

Posted at 05:24h in News by

Every year in November there is a week dedicated to Perioperative Nursing.  I have been wanting to do a lot more to highlight how amazing these nurses are.  Many people outside of the medical system do not realize that perioperative nurse is another name for Operating Room or OR nurse.  While undergoing surgery, patients may only see their perioperative nurse for 5 minutes while they get setup on the table and before they go under anesthesia.  It’s often the most stressful time for the patient and these nurses know that every minute counts because a relaxed patient will mean better surgical outcomes and improved patient satisfaction.

 

Today we are highlighting Darleen Dagey.  I was fortunate enough to be able to visit her and her 3 periop trainees this week to kick off doing our Nurse Spotlight.

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Q: Why do you love being a perioperative nurse?

A: It’s team oriented and it’s fun!

Q: How did you make the choice to become a perioperative nurse?
A: You are the ultimate patient advocate because the patient is asleep. It seemed like such an important role. I was applying for jobs. While shadowing and exploring different nursing areas the OR Nurse I was shadowing with said that to me and it stuck.

 

Q: Where do you see the profession in 5 years?
A: Becoming more advanced with new technologies. There will be so much more technical knowledge that needs to be learned, more minimally invasive, less open.

 

Q: What would you tell someone who is trying to decide to become a perioperative nurse?
A: You should do it!

 

Q: If you could change one thing that would make being a perioperative nurse better, what would it be?
A: Everyone needs those ergonomic matts because we stand a LOT.

 

Q: Is there anything else that you think is important to share with other perioperative nurses?

A: You have to teach the newer nurses.  You have to share your knowledge.  It is difficult to teach in the moment because of the stress but I would encourage people to share their knowledge because everyone has to learn.

 

Darleen works as the Clinical Nurse Educator @ Johns Hopkins Sibley in Washington, DC.  She’s been working there for over 13 years and prior to becoming an educator she was the Specialty Team Leader for Urology and Gynecology.  January 2017 she was published in the AORN Journal : Using Simulation to Implement an OR Cardiac Arrest Crisis Checklist.

 

Special thank you to Darleen for the time you spent with me.  If anyone has a nurse they’d like to highlight please send us an email info@periopsim.com.  We will be doing this all year long!