Introduction:

The implementation of a preoperative nursing consultation should be seen as an intervention strategy that gives visibility to nurses’ autonomous interventions. Its structure and operationalization should take into account the opinion of the nurses who will be involved in its implementation.

Objective:

To determine nurses' opinions on the structure and operationalization of the preoperative nursing consultation.

Methods:

Descriptive and exploratory study with a qualitative approach. Twenty-three interviews were conducted with operating room or general surgery inpatient nurses in a Portuguese hospital in January 2021. Data were analyzed according to Bardin’s assumptions.

Results:

Two thematic units emerged: Contributions of the preoperative nursing consultation and Aspects to consider when organizing the consultation, which includes several categories and subcategories. The contributions of the preoperative nursing consultation focused on the patient, the organization, and nursing care. The aspects to consider when organizing the consultation should focus on the patient, the conditions for quality care, and some organizational procedures.

Conclusion:

The implementation of a preoperative nursing consultation will help give visibility to nurses’ autonomous interventions during this period. The nurse's interaction with the patient before surgery can reduce their anxiety and fears and meet their information needs.

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