Care of the Patient Undergoing a Neurosurgical Procedure in an Intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Suite.

The intraoperative nursing care of a patient undergoing a neurosurgical procedure in an intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suite requires an elevated level of planning and implementation of interventions for patient safety and the safety of the surgical team. Developing team guidelines, protocols, and competencies that take into account the specific safety and positioning requirements for an MRI scan (ie, identifying MRI zones, safe use of ferrous and nonferrous instruments, following MRI safety guidelines) is key to the success of these procedures. Personnel at two sites at the University of Utah Health in Salt Lake City have implemented a standardized intraoperative MRI program for a variety of neurosurgical procedures.