Determination of skill and knowledge requirements of an instrument nurse working in major vascular surgery for the development of a virtual reality training tool

Background: An open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair is a complex high-risk procedure, with limited opportunities for an instrument nurse to gain experience and develop the necessary skills to assist the surgeon in caring for the patient during surgery. The aim of the study was to inform the content for a virtual reality (VR) training tool to develop the skills of an instrument nurse when working in major vascular surgery. Methods: An exploratory, descriptive qualitative design using focus groups and semistructured interviews was selected for this study to explore and understand the perceptions of consultant vascular surgeons and expert vascular instrument nurses about the skills required by an instrument nurse when caring for a patient undergoing major vascular surgery. Expert vascular instrument nurses (n = 9) and consultant vascular surgeon (n = 4) were recruited via the Australian College of Perioperative Nurses (ACORN) and the Australian and New Zealand Society for Vascular Surgery (ANZSVS), respectively. Results: Data were analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2012). Four themes emerged from the data analysis. These were: preparation for surgery, essential psychomotor skills, nontechnical skills, and the virtual reality training tool design and content. Conclusion: Expert vascular instrument nurses and consultant vascular surgeons provided a detailed compilation of the knowledge and skills required by an instrument nurse which will inform the content and design of the proposed virtual reality training tool. Whilst this study is based on open AAA repair, it also provides a valuable insight into what surgeons and nurses consider important for an instrument nurse when assisting with a surgical procedure.