D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 1 5
S
ometimes you need to
go old-school to get a
key point across to your
staff. We recently updated our
periarticular injection cocktail
as part of a multimodal pain
management protocol for our
total joint patients. I dutifully
updated the surgeons' prefer-
ence cards and sent out emails
and texts to the OR staff notifying them of the change, but the message
still wasn't totally getting through. This particular communication prob-
lem was significant to our facility's bottom line, because mixing the
wrong cocktail and then wasting it cost us around $400 each time. To
avoid mixing mistakes, I created a paper flyer that listed the medications,
syringe and needle needed to make the cocktail and noted when it would
be injected during the case. I titled the flyer "No More Wasted Cocktails"
and included pictures of various disappointed people and pets. What real-
ly made the flyer a hit — and more noticed — was that one of our sur-
geons provided a photo of himself with his trademark "I'm disappointed
in you" look. I strategically posted the flyer in high-traffic areas, including
the surgery schedule board, pharmacy, locker room and break room. The
result? No more wasted cocktails bleeding our margins dry.
Andrea Lessner, BSN, RN, CNOR, TNCC
North Valley Surgery Center
Scottsdale, Ariz.
andrea.lessner@sovereignhealthcare.net
UNFRIENDLY REMINDER
Wasting Meds Is Frowned Upon
• IN YOUR FACE It's easy to ignore or miss an email or text, but a
strategically placed paper flyer is tough to avoid.
North
Valley
Surgery
Center