SPECIALTY
ASSEMBLIES
A unique relationship with the patient
Members of AORN's Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Specialty Assembly share the value of connecting with their patients during preoperative assessment
By Carina Stanton
Senior News Editor/Writer
Preoperative care is an important part of the care process for all perioperative nursing specialties, but for many nurses working in plastic and reconstructive surgery, preoperative assessment involves a unique relationship with the patient.
"The preoperative aspect of care is different for us, because, beyond verifying patient information, discussing the procedure and answering questions, we often serve to educate the patient and counsel them as they make the decision to get elective plastic or reconstructive surgery, says Linda Savage, RN, BS, CNOR, clinical staff nurse for Kreegel Aesthetic Surgery in Fort Myers, Fla., and co-chair of AORN's Plastic/Reconstructive Specialty Assembly (SA).
In her practice, which is primarily office-based, Savage serves as the primary consultant for patients.
"The decision to get plastic or reconstructive surgery can be very emotional for the patient, and it is my job to educate the patient about the procedure and also to discern why the patient is seeking the procedure to understand what outcomes they are expecting," she explains.
During this consultation Savage also discusses skin care, dietary and medication precautions and preparations for postoperative care, to ensure the patient has a full understanding of what to expect before and after surgery.
Savage is also with most of her patients during surgery and then provides postoperative care and continued consultation. "The close relationship I get to foster with my patients is really what makes my job so rewarding," Savage adds.
While interaction with patients undergoing plastic and reconstructive surgery in a hospital setting differs from office-based surgery, close interaction with the patient, both pre-operatively and post-operatively is still important, says Deanna "Dee" Schoenly, RN, CNOR, staff nurse and service leader in plastic and reconstructive surgery at Milford Regional Medical Center, in Milford, Mass., and co-chair of AORN's Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery SA.
Schoenly works in a small community hospital 30 minutes outside of Boston, primarily as service leader in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Despite her facility being located in a small community, many patients seek plastic and reconstructive surgery there because they want to be close to home and experience their surgery in a friendly, hometown environment.
"Once the patients reach me, they have made their decision to get the surgery, but my interaction with them is essential because there is still anxiety about the procedure, even if it is elective surgery. And patients may be dealing with additional emotional hurdles if they are getting reconstructive surgery, such as those patients who have had mastectomies and seek the reconstructive surgery to feel like a whole person again," Schoenly says. "I like the opportunity to put patients at ease and let them know they are with a team that has been working together."
Both Savage and Schoenly agree that perioperative nurses working in plastic and reconstructive surgery need to educate themselves about all aspects of a surgical procedure and elements such as skin care, diet, medication interactions, postoperative care and other important issues that are essential to providing optimal care to plastic and reconstructive surgical patients.
Focus on education
To stay current in her practice, Savage regularly taps into resources through the American Society of Plastic Surgical Nurses to attain education and contact colleagues with questions. This education involves not only knowledge related to surgical care, but also knowledge that can help a plastic/reconstructive surgical patient to achieve optimal outcomes.
For example, "Skin care prior to the surgery is critical to many of my patients," Savage says. "That's not something you may need to be as concerned with for general surgical procedures, so I must educate myself on all aspects of skin care, including being aware of dermatological conditions and detecting irregular moles that I need to point out to the doctor." She also says she learns a lot just by talking to the doctor she works with, and to other colleagues, when she needs information.
Giving back
Savage hopes that more members of the Plastic and Reconstructive SA will make use of the SA's online community of practice to share their knowledge, challenges, and resources they have found to advance their practice.
Schoenly got involved with AORN's Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery SA because she thought it was time to give back to the association, after being a long-time member. She hopes other perioperative nurses working in the plastic and reconstructive surgical specialty will also decide to give back through the SA, even if they take just a few moments to share their experiences through the SA's online community. "I would like to see our SA membership increase to a stronger working level, where silent members become more active and more vocal."
Savage agrees. "Plastic surgical nursing is unique, and to gain that knowledge and the skills needed to address our patients as a whole, physically and psychologically, we need to depend on each other to share that knowledge. We can only do that if we use those resources from AORN and our community of practice to connect with each other," Savage stresses.
Learn more about AORN's Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery SA.
Participate in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery SA's Online Community of Practice.
Read more news in AORN Connections.