QEII Halifax Infirmary Emergency Department is working with reduced space, which may lead to delays for those with less urgent concerns. Learn more here.
Starting Saturday, December 14, the entrance to the QEII Halifax Infirmary Emergency Department will change to 1840 Bell Road. Learn more.
After earning her Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics from St. Francis Xavier University, Katie Stone was uncertain about the direction of her career. She took a year off school, working as a patient attendant in the operating room.
“I was responsible for preparing the operating rooms between cases, assisting with patient transfers, and performing other essential tasks,” she said.
“This experience provided me with valuable exposure to perioperative nursing, which inspired me to pursue the fast-track, two-year nursing program at Dalhousie University.”
During her studies she applied for the perioperative nursing elective; a program offered to nursing students to introduce them to the career path. After completing clinical placements in operating rooms, she was hired as an operating room nurse and began the part time Perioperative Nursing Program course while working full time.
Now based at the QEII Health Sciences Centre, Halifax Infirmary site, Stone loves the diverse and dynamic nature of her role, and collaborating with a range of healthcare professionals to deliver patient care, including surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, anesthesia technicians, anesthesia assistants, patient attendants and others.
“The most rewarding aspects of my role are the opportunities to support patients during a vulnerable and critical time in their lives, and the dynamic variety that the operating room environment provides,” said Stone.
“I primarily focus on general surgery, plastics and vascular, but there are opportunities to float between different services which includes cardiac surgery, neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery. This variety offers new perspectives and an opportunity to continually develop new skills.”
She has had many impactful experiences as a perioperative nurse but feels cases like trauma surgeries always stand out most.
“These high-pressure situations require the team to come together quickly and efficiently. The complexity of preparing for a surgical procedure is heightened in emergency situations, meaning each step must be executed at an accelerated pace. The ability of the preoperative team to adapt and respond so quickly is something I always appreciate and applaud.”
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