Operating Department Practitioners

Published –

A relatively new addition to the AHP family in England, Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs)  provide care and support during all phases of a patient’s operative care. Based within operating theatres, resus and ITU working as part of the team with surgeons, anaesthetists and theatre nurses theirs is a long list of responsibilities including preparing and monitoring medical equipment and instruments, facilitating patient transfer, and monitoring patients during recovery, providing pain relief, patient advocacy and much more.

Like other AHPs during this time they have found themselves working in different ways. Nathan Graham, former captain of the Scotland Rugby League team, and now coach of the Scottish senior amateur team is also an ODP, and in an article in the Guardian he explains his role

“I look after the anaesthetic machines, all their equipment, check the airways, drips and position the patients for surgery. So we have crossover skills for Covid patients on ventilators – we know how it all works. I’m mainly in the Covid ward – I’m not sure what that says about me!”

ODPs are finding themselves part of the challenge in converting operating theatres into ICU overspill beds, setting up additional emergency airway units and working alongside ITU nurses in numerous ways, leading to new ways of working and enhanced teamworking, as one ODP in London puts it:

“Spending the day in our converted recovery come ITU, where ITU nurses meets ODP and ODP meets ITU nurses. The new respect levels have crushed any divide that once was there. No more “what is it they do?” TEAMWORK.”

In recent weeks we’ve seen mention of ODPs in the media, with the deputy chief medical officer mentioning them at one of the national briefings, Rachael Moses, Chief AHP at NHS Nightingale London, highlighting their work and on the front page of the Guardian we’ve seen them featured in the incredibly moving photographs of  David Collyer, himself an ODP and already nominated for Advancing Healthcare Esteem recognition.

14 May is ODP Day – a day to appreciate the work of this group of highly skilled and adaptable AHPs – please join in the celebrations and nominate an ODP for Advancing Healthcare Esteem recognition.

 

Post Navigation