Recently, during the first semester of my nursing clinical rotation, my assignment was to spend a day observing the activities in the hospital operating room. I watched as a surgical technician set up her station, which consisted of a stainless steel table draped with a plastic tarp called a chuck. A variety of surgical instruments were placed on the top, many of which were sharp. As the technician sorted and counted the instruments, we had a conversation and she inquired about my desired nursing specialization. I replied that I wanted to work in the field of HIV care. I know from my experience that talking about HIV and AIDS can still elicit fear and prejudice. Moreover, although standard and universal precautions are implemented, talking about HIV in an operating room can exacerbate any stressful situation.
展开▼
