PeriAnesthesia Nursing Core Curriculum

SECTION ONE
Professional Competencies
1 Evolution of Perianesthesia Care
2 Standards, Legal Issues, and Practice
Settings
3 Safety, Quality Improvement, and Regulatory and
Accrediting Agencies
4 Research and Evidence-Based Practice

SECTION TWO
Preoperative Assessment Competencies
5 Preoperative Evaluation
6 Preexisting Medical Conditions
7 Transcultural Nursing and Alternative
Therapies
8 The Developmentally and Physically Challenged
Patient

SECTION THREE
Life Span Competencies
9 The Pediatric Patient
10 The Adolescent Patient
11 The Adult Patient
12 The Geriatric Patient

SECTION FOUR
Perianesthesia Competencies
13 Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance
14 Anesthesia, Procedural Sedation, and Analgesia
15 Thermoregulation
16 Postoperative/Postdischarge Nausea and
Vomiting
17 Pain and Comfort

SECTION FIVE
System Competencies
18 Respiratory
19 Cardiovascular
20 Neurological
21 Endocrine
22 Gastrointestinal
23 General Surgery
24 Hematology
25 Renal/Genitourinary
26 Obstetrics and Gynecology
27 Ophthalmology
28 Oral/Maxillofacial/Dental
29 Orthopedics and Podiatry
30 Otorhinolaryngology
31 Peripheral Vascular Disease
32 Plastic and Reconstruction
33 Bariatrics
34 Trauma
35 Interventional Radiology and Special Procedures
36 Perianesthesia Complications

SECTION SIX
Education and Discharge Competencies
37 Postoperative/Postprocedure Assessment
38 Discharge Criteria, Education, and Postprocedure
Care

Appendix A: Certification of Perianesthesia Nurses:
The CPAN® and CAPA® Certification Programs
Appendix B: Testing Concepts and Strategies
Index