1 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J U L Y 2 0 1 8
E
very nurse
who contacts
patients in
the days before
surgery has her own
style of
communicating, but
they all must make
sure to cover the
same important
points. That's why we
created color-coded,
laminated specialty-
specific cards nurses
can refer to when
making calls to
ensure all patients
receive the
information they
need, no matter who's making the calls. We poked a hole in the top
left corner of each card, joined them together with a ring and keep
them in the area where pre-op calls are made. The collection also
includes a card with generic instructions for all patients, including
arrival time (1 hour before procedure time), NPO status (nothing
after midnight, including water, gum or candy), and a reminder to
bring along a responsible adult who'll drive them home.
Marilyn Goodman, BSN, RN, CNOR
Jefferson Surgery Center
BY THE SCRIPT
Talking Points Guide Pre-op Phone Calls
• CALLING CARDS Poke a hole in the top left corner of each card, join them
together with a ring and keep them where your nurses make pre-op calls.
Marilyn
Goodman,
BSN,
RN,
CNOR
Sewell, N.J.
m.goodman@kennedyhealth.org
