continuity of care, as nurses and staff are aware of mobility and
weight-bearing concerns. Physical therapists tailor their post-op rehab
program for each patient based on the type of block performed.
The number and types of blocks we perform change over time related
to increased knowledge, research and newly identified best practices.
2. Pre-op planning
Begin preparing for block placement a couple days before surgery,
when you're reviewing the surgical schedule. The selection of nerve
blocks performed are individualized to each practitioner and patient,
based on the surgeon's technique and the patient's unique medical his-
tory. When a surgeon books a case, we look at the surgeon's prefer-
ences and the patient's health history to determine which nerve block
will be most effective, and what kind of needles and supplies will be
needed. This advanced information and planning reduces delays in sur-
gical start times. We also worked with our team of anesthesiologists to
standardize the local anesthetic they administer and the supplies they
use. Because so much of the process has been standardized, our team
is very efficient in preparing the sterile field for the anesthesiologist
who will administer the blocks.
3. Keeping patients informed
Educating patients about how blocks are placed and keeping them
informed throughout the process are important elements of a success-
ful regional anesthesia program, because it can be a little disconcert-
ing and frightening to be told you're going to get a nerve block.
Patients often say they feel overwhelmed and rushed into making
decisions, with mass amounts of information being given in the short
amount of time before surgery. The more information you provide
ahead of time, when the patient is less apprehensive, the more the
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