title: The element of care in the operating room.
abstract: 1. Perioperative nurses are experts in attending to imminent physiological needs of patients. However, when these needs seem paramount, focus on a patient's feelings often become a lower priority. 2. Being cared for is a basic human need. Just as perceptions of needs vary among individuals, so do caring needs. It is essential that nurses value the components of caring and demonstrate caring from a holistic perspective. 3. OR nurses can communicate caring by identifying staff to patients, providing reassuring information, monitoring self-talk, touching the patient, and responding to the patient as an individual.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vance
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Davidhizar
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D004645:Empathy; D006801:Humans; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009871:Operating Room Nursing