SELF/Perioperative Nursing/Setting Up the Operating Room/Psychomotor Skills Practice Assessment

Psychomotor Assessment Rubric for Operating Room Setup (ECSACONM)

Overview

This page provides a psychomotor assessment rubric for evaluating operating room (OR) setup competency, developed for perioperative nursing training under ECSACONM (East, Central and Southern Africa College of Nursing). It is a companion assessment tool to the OR Setup Skills Practice Instructions page, used by evaluators to rate student/practitioner performance on each step of OR readiness on a 5-point scale.

Purpose

To provide a standardized scoring framework for assessing clinical competency in OR setup, ranging from "Clinically Unacceptable / Not Performed" (1) to "Excellent" (5), with defined criteria at each anchor point.

Rating Scale

1 – Clinically Unacceptable / Not Performed
2 – (between 1 and 3, no separate descriptor)
3 – Clinically Acceptable / Performed
4 – (between 3 and 5, no separate descriptor)
5 – Excellent

Assessment Rubric

Step	Name	Assessment Method	1 – Clinically Unacceptable / Not Performed	3 – Clinically Acceptable / Performed	5 – Excellent
1	Environmental readiness check	Articulated	Not done	Done
2	Verify: Planned procedure Surgeon requirements/preferences Special equipment needs	Articulated	Not done	Done
3	Gather supplies	Articulated	Not done	Done
4	Check and position OR furniture	Observed	Layout obstructs movement/transfer; hazards present; table/lights misaligned, unstable or unlocked equipment	Clear pathways and transfer space; functional equipment; table positioned for case	Optimized flow and ergonomics; clear zones for anesthesia/scrub/circulator; hazards eliminated without prompting
5	Check lighting	Observed	Lights not tested or poorly positioned; inadequate illumination expected	Lights are functional and positioned over expected fields	Minimizes shadows; lighting precisely over the operative field; confirms adjustment range; identifies backup light if needed
6	Check suction system	Observed	Suction not functional or not tested; no backup	Suction tested and functional; correct connections; backup canister/tubing available	Systematically tests suction function, secures correct and leak-free tubing connections, confirms adequate suction pressure, and readiness for use during case with backup supplies (e.g., spare canister) in place
7	Check anesthesia machine (readiness confirmation)	Observed	Proceeds without anesthesia readiness confirmation; oxygen source unknown	Identifies gaps and escalates to anesthesia lead; ensures readiness communicated before patient arrival	Systematically identifies gaps and escalates; ensures readiness communicated before patient arrival
8	Set up waste disposal system	Observed	Sharps container/bins missing or unsafe placement; waste streams unclear	Sharps container and labeled bins present and positioned appropriately	Waste setup supports workflow and safety; bins not obstructing; clear separation of waste streams
9	Verify available surgical instrument sets	Observed	Wrong/missing sets or compromised packaging; no escalation	Correct sets staged; seals intact	Confirms integrity and sterility indicators; correct surgical instrument sets and backups for the case; flags mismatches early to prevent delays/waste
10	Arrange sterile supplies (without opening)	Observed	Packs on wet/dirty surfaces; expired/compromised items missed	Packs staged clean/dry; labels visible; expiry checked	Organized staging by use/sequence; clear landing zone; replaces questionable packs proactively
11	Check patient positioning equipment	Observed	Missing/unsafe positioning aids; damaged straps/padding not recognized	Required equipment present, clean, functional	Anticipates case needs; confirms integrity and mitigates pressure injury risk before patient arrival
12	Set up auxiliary equipment such as diathermy, warming devices	Observed	Key device missing/not tested; unsafe cable routing; grounding pad unavailable	Devices present and tested; cables inspected; grounding pad staged	Routes cables to reduce trip/pull risk; confirms backups/batteries; resolves minor faults promptly
13	Verify emergency equipment, supplies and medications	Observed	Emergency equipment, supplies and medications inaccessible or unverified; defibrillator not functional	Emergency equipment, supplies and medications accessible; defibrillator functional	Systematic functional check of emergency equipment; confirms availability and accessibility of supplies and medications; identifies escalation path for missing/non-functional items
14	Patient data board, time-out list and count board	Observed	Checklist/count board missing or outdated; patient info mishandled	Checklist/time-out materials and count board set up for case	Board organized for closed-loop time-out; updates at correct time; avoids premature PHI display
15	Final room readiness check	Observed	Final sweep incomplete; hazards/missing items remain	Final sweep completed; hazards removed; stations ready	Uses consistent sweep method; confirms readiness with team; resolves/escalates remaining gaps
16	Ensure backup energy supply	Articulated	Not done	Done

Page data
Keywords	surgery, health
SDG	SDG03 Good health and well-being
Authors	Ian-laurel
License	CC-BY-SA-4.0
Organizations	SELF, ECSACONM
Language	English (en)
Related	0 subpages, 1 pages link here
Views	0 page views (analytics)
Created	July 1, 2026 by Ian-laurel
Last edit	July 1, 2026 by StandardWikitext bot
Cite as	Ian-laurel (2026). "SELF/Perioperative Nursing/Setting Up the Operating Room/Psychomotor Skills Practice Assessment". Appropedia. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
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