Today, our Theatres department is celebrating Operational Department Practitioner (ODP) Day.
The occasion, which is officially recognised on 14 May, is an opportunity to celebrate our outstanding ODPs across the Trust.
Read on to hear one of our ODPs, Rupi Malait (pictured on the far right), tell her story of becoming an ODP and what the role entails:
"I qualified last year as an Operating Department Practitioner. I completed my three-year BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice degree at Canterbury Christ Church University and I am now a registered practitioner with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Before I qualified, I worked in theatres as a Theatre Support Worker and wanted to study to become an ODP from learning more about the role and responsibilities. I felt it would suit me perfectly and it has led to a highly rewarding career.
ODPs mainly work in operating theatres but also can complete additional training to work in other clinical areas such as the emergency department, intensive care units etc. An ODP plays a major role in the surgical team, with their primary duty being to provide care and support to the patients during all stages of an operation.
An ODP needs certain skills and capabilities to perform their duties within the operating theatre. Along with robust knowledge and skills regarding the treatment of patients, a career as an ODP is for dedicated, reliable, caring people who can work effectively within a multi-professional team, have good team working skills and are able to adapt to situations and keep calm under pressure. ODPs play an important role in three of the phases of perioperative care such as anaesthetic, surgery and recovery.
During the anaesthetic phase, an ODP will start the day by checking the anaesthetic machines, ensuring correct equipment is available and check medication, help the anaesthetist to secure the patient's airway during anaesthesia. ODPs also ensure that the patient is positioned correctly on the operating table, and that all necessary monitoring equipment is in place.
During the surgical phase, the ODP prepares all the necessary instruments and equipment for the surgery, assist the surgeon before and during the operation, provide the surgeon with appropriate equipment for each procedure and ensure all surgical instruments are sterilised. In addition to this, the ODP is responsible for swab counts and instruments counts.
The ODP also works in theatre recovery to provide post-operative care to the patients. The recovery ODP will be ensuring the patient’s airway is safe and applying vital signs monitoring. provide appropriate treatment until they have recovered from the effects of the anaesthesia and/or surgery.
Once the patient is breathing adequately and has satisfactory vital signs, the ODP will get their documents ready for their discharge from recovery to go back to the wards. Their job role and responsibilities are wide-ranging and varied, and require a high level of skill, knowledge, and expertise."
Thank you to Rupi and all our ODPs at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust who continue to provide exceptional care for our patients during every stage of their surgical care.