Ideas That Work: Pre-Op Prep

We have a multi-step protocol to complete for each knee, hip and shoulder replacement patient before the day of surgery. This protocol includes making pre-op calls to conduct a health assessment, an in-person visit with a nurse to review pre- and post-op instructions, creating a medication calendar and scheduling a pre-op physical therapy appointment. We use a white board to track each patient's progress before the day of their surgery (ID numbers are used instead of names to comply with HIPAA). The board allows us to see the status of all upcoming joint patients at a glance and helps to ensure we meet each one's needs before they undergo surgery.

Nancy Peck, RN
Pend Oreille Surgery Center
Ponderay, Idaho
[email protected]