Any RN in the surgical world got a few moments....

[Lisa1980]

I am an RN-BSN nurse, I have no expierence in a hospital setting and do not know of a nurse who is. I will be conducting a research paper.

First, What is a common perioperative procedure that is conducted?

Second, Do you think it needs to be changed?

(Can you email me your procedure protocol guidelines such as a checklist?)

I will also need to know for your hosptial:

a. who determined the basis for the practice? (administration, doctors?)

b. what is the rationale for making the decision for the procedure?

c. why the practice is performed this way? (is the practice general or specific policy to your hospital)

Now... NOTE: My assignment specifically says; "You will need to ask hospital personnel."

In otherwords I am not asking you to do my assignment however; I need some information so I can do the report.

Short basic info is all, I will elaborate on the rest utilizing sources for review.

Thanks in advance!!

[metroishka]

I work in PreOp and PACU and would be glad to try and help you out. Are you talking about a specific surgical procedure (appy, knee replacement, etc) or perhaps the procedure of getting the patient ready for surgery, recovering them in PACU or intraoperative care? Sounds like you are writing about evidence based standards that are becoming utilized more and more.

[ShannonRN2010, BSN, RN]

THere are a lot of pre-op check offs, allergies, site marking, consent verification, patient verification, pre-op antibiotics according to the SCIP protocol, labs, cardiac clearence.

I am still fairly new to the OR area, but I think all of these are pretty important to the well being of the patient.

I know nothing else to help ya out! Sorry!

[Lisa1980]

metroishka, yes evidence-based research class!!

The first thing that came to mind was knee replacement; mostly because I hear how common it is. However, then i though about the other section of my paper... is there something about the procedure that needs to changed? If not, i wouldn't be able to utilize that as my subject.

That's why it's difficult choosing a topic.

In your setting do you feel the protocol is appropriate or can any kind of change be made?

It's just weird that they want us to write about something like this. Yes we can research any topic; but how can we write what about how to change it if we don't work in that field? Maybe I am thinking too deeply!

open to anything else

[Lisa1980]

Ok, so i think i came up with a topic.

So... those who work on a surgical floor or even OR that can provide some insight would be great.

I am choosing Debridement of a wound.

Do you have a checklist for this procedure?

what is your protocol?

do you have something that could tell me more info.

thanks, lisa

[michelemybell]

An O.R. nurse here........we do not have specific check lists or protocols for our surgical cases(except laser cases where there is specific guidelines for laser safety) but we do have preference cards for each surgeon which gives us a list of supplies needed for the case. Perhaps a post-op surgical nurse can help. On such cases as joint replacement there is specific protocol followed for each day post-op....kinda like an assembly line!

[proudnurseRN]

I work with post op joint patients and other fresh surgeries, some have standard care paths and specific post-op orders. Orders for the degrees on a CPM, and whether or not it's even used, is based on the doctor and the patient situation. Some patients come to the floor with catheters, some keep them in until the following day.

We also get pts that will be going to surgery. We have a checklist on the front of the chart that includes questions such as "Is the history and physical on the chart?" "Is all jewelry removed?" and several other questions.

We recently had a policy change that only the surgeon is to mark the operative site.

Anyway, I'm not sure if any of that information is helpful. If you would like more info just pm me.