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.
after you "pitched a fit" (i hope) WHAT was their reasoning?
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
These straps are more for safety than restraint. If you had a spinal, could you keep your leg from falling off the bed if bumped? Also, for those who are awake, we don't want you "helping" with your surgery (I once had a patient that kept pinching the surgeon's backside). That being said, if I have a patient who is even slightly with it, I explain what I'm doing and why. For example, we're putting a port in someone under MAC. Until incision is made, they are completely with it. I tell them that the reason I'm tucking their arms tightly to their sides is because it helps the surgeon see what he needs to see and facilitates getting the xray machine where it needs to be. What I don't understand is why things aren't explained to the patients before it's happening.
i just had a recent surgery- i have a prob with being restrained, so i asked the anesthesiologist if they could put the restraints on me after I was out. He said yes. I dont remember being restrained at all.
morte, LPN, LVN
7,015 Posts
after you "pitched a fit" (i hope) WHAT was their reasoning?