Distance learning and perioperative nursing.

Distance learning in nursing education is arriving with unprecedented speed, which has led to much uncertainty among educators. This article provides an overview of distance learning and its application to perioperative nursing. Lack of face-to-face interaction is of foremost concern in distance learning, and educators must develop new teaching strategies to address this problem. Models for assessing outcomes and effectiveness are important tools to use when implementing a distance learning program. Basic perioperative nursing concepts, skills, procedures, and recommended practices can be introduced effectively with online distance learning modalities and then reinforced through a clinical component.