I recently had eye surgery under conscious sedation. As I was being prepped in the OR, I was shocked to have a nurse on either side of me wrap my wrists around with gauze and fasten my arms to the operating table.
I must have made some sound because I was told it was so I didn't lift my arms and interfere with the surgery. I was too drowsy to really object but now I am very upset about it.
I have only been in the OR while in nursing school and have only had one surgery before in my life, when I was a child. Is this a common practice? Can a patient object?
I feel very demeaned and violated to have been restrained like that. Plus it was very uncomfortable and made me feel extremely vulnerable. Maybe I am over reacting?
i can understand the need,,,,but DONT. EVER. DO THAT TO ME.....without explaining it ahead of time.....something or someone is going to get kicked/hit/ or bit
Actually, it's not just the worry about seeing something in your eye. You'd be amazed how many times people will reach up to scratch their arm, their head, their nose. You don't notice it until you are the nurse in the OR trying to keep the field sterile and forget to tie someone's arm down. The surgeons are not amused when this happens. Have even had people try to roll over because they forgot where they were and were "getting comfortable in bed".
Oh no!! Yeah, I wouldn't want to be the one to have to say "I'm sorry" to the surgeon. lol
I like to think I would be conscious of that, even sedated, but probably not.
And I am relieved to see I'm not alone in that I would have appreciated some warning. To have two strangers grab your arms when you are already vulnerable and scared is really hard to cope with.
I also have to say, I never felt as sedated as I would have liked. Because then I probably wouldn't have even noticed or been bothered by it. The anesthesiologist told me he was going to use versed and fentanyl. But I am surprised with the versed I remember so much. I remember most of the surgery. And I didn't feel so relaxed or comfortable. I felt pretty stressed the whole time.
My mom says that was the absolute WORST thing about having babies in the 60s-70s. They strapped both her arms down , as they did back then, and she freaked out. Good thing I was an oops, or she would have never had another child after my older sis!
The loss of control feeling is horrible. I am sorry you felt that way, and I hope you feel better soon!
My mom says that was the absolute WORST thing about having babies in the 60s-70s. They strapped both her arms down , as they did back then, and she freaked out. Good thing I was an oops, or she would have never had another child after my older sis!
The loss of control feeling is horrible. I am sorry you felt that way, and I hope you feel better soon!
I forgot about that!!!! I had my first two in the hospital in 1977 and 1978. Your legs were strapped UP and your arms were strapped DOWN. I had no medication, so I was lucid enough to beg the nurse not to strap my arms down.
She agreed but said SO mean "Alright, but you better not disturb the sterile field!"
Can you imagine being mean to a delivering mother?!?! And that horrible anti-anatomical position!!!!
No wonder I opted to have my third and fourth at home 8 and 9 years later.
Angry I only found out that women having c sections in the US got tied down last week, I had twins that way under locali n the UK believe me you won't move i worked in theatre I have seen amputations under local, my dad and gran had caterax under local not held down believe me I am shocked it is illegal in Europe to tie down a patient even the insane! could I sue for illegal imprisonment? if this happens to me?
Angry I only found out that women having c sections in the US got tied down last week, I had twins that way under locali n the UK believe me you won't move i worked in theatre I have seen amputations under local, my dad and gran had caterax under local not held down believe me I am shocked it is illegal in Europe to tie down a patient even the insane! could I sue for illegal imprisonment? if this happens to me?
Remind me to never work in the UK. If I couldn't restrain my violent, DT-ing ETOHer with a crack habit, I'd have a fist in my face. :)
Remind me to never work in the UK. If I couldn't restrain my violent, DT-ing ETOHer with a crack habit, I'd have a fist in my face. :)
Oh and you think we don't have these type of patients in the uk..18 years of nursing 5 in the OR and 6 in ICU never a problem maybe they lash out but probably more in the US because they know they will be tied down, I know I would,the US doesn't have the patent on the mentally unstable and drug addicts, yes I have been hurt but mainly by old little Mrs Smith who has a bladder infection which is much worse, stab with a fork, strangled buy my own apron, pinched, punched, scratched, punched, beaten by a racist pt, stalked, head against a wall by a (relative and three doctor during a employment med exam different instances) restain them if you will...but I have found it better to hold their hand and talk them down and I won't pretent that that doesn't envolve a certain amount of retrained but it is a hell of alot better than tieing someone down believe me...a knife over you normally calms most people and if that doesn't work in the OR we chemical kosh someone if they are a drugie they wake up pretty soon but mellow:yeah:
I don't work in the US but I can tell you in Australia we do NOT restrain anyone without a restraint order in place (which a doc has to sign) and we certainly don't go tying people down for eye surgery! I've worked in eyes before and if they suspect a patient is going to fidget then they have a GA.
Did the nurse check your nail bed for capillary refill or make sure your circulation wasn't compromised during the restraint?
What happened to you is completely unacceptable and I would probably seek legal advice. If I did anything like that i'd be up before the board, possibly in court.
I don't work in the US but I can tell you in Australia we do NOT restrain anyone without a restraint order in place (which a doc has to sign) and we certainly don't go tying people down for eye surgery! I've worked in eyes before and if they suspect a patient is going to fidget then they have a GA.
Did the nurse check your nail bed for capillary refill or make sure your circulation wasn't compromised during the restraint?
What happened to you is completely unacceptable and I would probably seek legal advice. If I did anything like that i'd be up before the board, possibly in court.
When I have worked in eyes the patients are educated before their surgery that they have to keep still. If they need someone to scratch their face then they know all they need to do is ask and the surgeons will stop so this can be done. If it is someone with dementia etc then rather than restraining them illegally the whole thing is done under a general.
granted that the nurses should have told you before hand this was going to happen, it is common practice since it is eye surgery and often under a lighter anesthesia and many patients do reach up during surgery to contaminate, grab the surgeon's hand , or can inadvertantly injure themselves while sharp objects are repairing their eyes while they reach up.
I recently had eye surgery under conscious sedation. As I was being prepped in the OR, I was shocked to have a nurse on either side of me wrap my wrists around with gauze and fasten my arms to the operating table.
I must have made some sound because I was told it was so I didn't lift my arms and interfere with the surgery. I was too drowsy to really object but now I am very upset about it.
I have only been in the OR while in nursing school and have only had one surgery before in my life, when I was a child. Is this a common practice? Can a patient object?
I feel very demeaned and violated to have been restrained like that. Plus it was very uncomfortable and made me feel extremely vulnerable. Maybe I am over reacting?
When my son wAs born 2007 via c section I was strapped down , both legs and both arms. It looked like I was about to be crucified. I had a spinal so it wasn't like I couldve moved if I wanted to but nobody ever told me that I'd be strapped down prior to going to the or . I just wasn't expecting that.
morte, LPN, LVN
7,015 Posts
i can understand the need,,,,but DONT. EVER. DO THAT TO ME.....without explaining it ahead of time.....something or someone is going to get kicked/hit/ or bit