Aging in America: Implications for Perioperative Nursing

What nurses need to know can be viewed as a pledge of advocacy. What patients need to know can be viewed as a Code of Inquiry. Together, these sets of knowledge create a platform for nurses and patients. When patients are committed to seeking substantive information and nurses are committed to advocating for patients, a surgical experience can become a positive one. Knowing that the patient will ask questions to be more personally accountable and competent for a part of postoperative care is comforting to the nurse. Knowing that the nurse will advocate for the patient is comforting to the patient. This integrative experience is synergistic for patients and nurses, and can aid older patients in having positive surgical experiences.