Staffing: Lessons Learned From My Time on the Table

I’m a nurse with more than 30 years of OR experience who has undergone my fair share of surgeries. Recently, an elective procedure mishap resulted in four subsequent surgeries over the course of five months — two of which were emergent. My medical odyssey provided me with a firsthand perspective of how vulnerable patients feel when they put their lives into our hands.

During my journey, I witnessed staff performing their duties by rote, sometimes taking the process for granted, not realizing it is anything but routine from the patient’s perspective. Through my surgeries, I realized what it’s like to be a patient who is afraid, vulnerable and needing to experience the humanity of health care. I cannot overstate the importance of stepping out from behind the mask to provide compassionate care for each one of your patients. Here are three principles that now inform my daily interactions with patients and their family members. 

1. Show empathy
The best nursing care I received was the care that put me — and my family — at ease. Focusing on empathy takes a few conscious steps and becomes easier with mindfulness. First, make eye contact. I have observed nurses not making genuine eye contact with their patients. Early on in my career, I probably did the same thing myself. Eye contact is the easiest way to establish trust with patients from the get-go.

Next, pay attention to the tone of your voice. Speak kindly and with emotion. When you greet a patient, a monotone introduction sends the message that you’re devoid of feelings or, at the very least, bored and uninterested. That’s the last message you want to send to a patient who’s expecting you to be completely focused on them. Let patients know you’re there to take care of them and that they’re in excellent hands. It’s easy to forget just how far a few kind words delivered in an empathetic tone can go toward calming patients and easing their anxiety.

2. Focus on the patient
For staff, surgery is just another day at the office. For patients, it’s anything but. The patient on the table is at their most vulnerable. They’re looking to your team for reassurance and confidence — and want to know they’re laser-focused on their case and their case only. 

I’ve been on a stretcher with two staff members who were “taking care of me,” but never even acknowledged I was there. I did, however, learn about what wasn’t going well in their work environment. These two caregivers complained incessantly about their co-workers, and I was ringside for the entire spectacle. Then there was the morning I went in for a total knee replacement and heard the staff in pre-op talking about all the things they didn’t like about their job. Not exactly the best way to instill confidence in me about the place I chose to have my procedure done.

A few extra moments of attentive listening can provide immeasurable comfort.

I’ve also had plenty of experiences with staff who introduced themselves to me, explained everything about my care as clearly as possible, and even held my hand while I went to sleep. I once worked with a nurse who was great about getting to know patients while still getting his work done. He exhibited a sense of urgency with his responsibilities without making his patients feel rushed —  simply by focusing on their needs and doing the little things to make them feel comfortable. Centering your attention on the patient in front of you might seem like a minor thing, but remember, it’s the little things that can make the biggest difference in how your patients ultimately perceive their care. 

3. Listen attentively
In addition to performing empathetic, personalized care, make it a point to actively listen to your patients and their family members — who are all too often overlooked. A few extra moments of attentive listening can provide immeasurable comfort. One circulating nurse stands out to me from my time as a patient. She arrived at my bedside to take me to surgery, engaged me in conversation and asked about my journey. She acknowledged how difficult my multiple surgeries must have been and offered kind words at a challenging time. When it was time for her to go, she leaned down and gave me a hug. While I didn’t get her name, I’ll never forget her or how she made me feel simply by asking me about what I was feeling — and actually listening to my response.

In the fast-paced, high-volume world of outpatient surgery, your staff can temporarily lose sight of just how vulnerable, anxious and alone most patients feel. The good news is they don’t need an experience from the other side of the table to get them back on track. You simply need to remind them of the three main tenets of compassionate care. After all, it only takes a few minutes to make a patient comfortable, assure them they’re in good hands and leave no doubt that you’ll take good care of them. OSM