Overview: To ensure the safety of patients and staff, today's perioperative nurse must be knowledgeable about laser physics, tissue interaction, safety, and delivery systems.
This educational module presents an overview of information for health care personnel who may be involved in laser procedures and provides a foundation for the creation of facility-specific laser policies and procedures.
Purpose: This module is designed to give perioperative personnel a foundation in laser biophysics, tissue interaction, and laser safety in a medical environment. The module also addresses laser safety protocols according to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z136.3-2018 Safe Use of Lasers in Health Care, AORN’s Guidelines for Perioperative Practice, and the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) practices.
Outcomes
- Discuss the laser biophysics that will result in tissue interactions.
- List the laser safety standards developed by three regulatory or standard setting bodies such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), and the American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery (ASLMS).
- Describe the essential precautions that must be in place whenever a laser is in use to ensure safety for patients and personnel.
- Describe the responsibilities of each health care professional involved in laser procedures.
- List three precautions that should be taken when performing upper airway laser procedures.
- Discuss the role of standard operating procedures including the records that must be maintained.
Contact hours: 3
To earn 3 contact hours, the learner must pass the posttest with a score of at least 80% and complete the course evaluation.
