1. What is perioperative nursing?
A. Perioperative nursing was formerly referred to as “operating room nursing” but over time the term “perioperative nursing” was seen to be more appropriate as the responsibilities of the operating room nurse expanded. Perioperative nursing is a nursing specialty that works with patients who are having surgery or other interventional procedures. Perioperative nursing encompasses a range of specialised roles.
2. What do perioperative nurses do?
A. Perioperative nurses work closely with surgeons and anaesthetists to provide patient care within the framework of the nursing process.
3. What is a Perioperative Nurse – Surgeon’s Assistant (PNSA)?
A. PNSAs are senior experienced perioperative nurses who have undertaken additional university study and training that allows them to perform the role of surgical assistant, which is usually performed by junior doctors.
4. Do you have a provider number?
A. No. PNSAs have been promised provider numbers by the government for the last 25 years but this has yet to occur. Our role has similarities to the Nurse Practitioner and Midwifery role that has been granted provider numbers, and our professional association, AANSA, has been lobbying strongly for provision of provider numbers. This is due to be addressed in the current Medicare review but sadly that is running sorely behind schedule.
5. How do you bill?
A. There is a fee for services conducted by JH Surgical Assistance Services which is determined by your surgeon, and is usually roughly 20% of the surgeon’s fees. Depending on the surgery, this often ranges between $300 and $700. However, particularly long and difficult cases, or cases in geographically remote areas may exceed this limit. Please note that this fee is not currently refundable under Medicare or through Private Health Insurance, and is an out of pocket expense.
JH Surgical Assistance Services bill patients directly. This can be one of several methods negotiated with the surgeon. Billing is based on a sliding scale dependent on the length and complexity of the procedure. Contact us to discuss further.
Workers comp, Third Party and Defence Force claims are handled as usual through the respective providers.
As DVA cases are an offshoot of the medicare system I cannot bill directly for DVA cases. However if needed we may negotiate with the surgeon another method of payment.