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ANESTHESIA ALERT
ABC's of confidence
Pre-op time is busy, with the anesthetist, the doctor and the OR nurses all popping in and out. Try to pick the right time to start the IV, so
you won't be distracted by people coming into the room and interrupting your concentration.
However, it may help to distract patients. I usually ask patients to help
me by opening and squeezing closed their opposite hand. Asking them
to take a deep breath can also work. Even if they know I'm just trying to
distract them, it actually helps and keeps them from tensing up. And
patients like feeling as if they're actively involved in their care.
It also helps to have the patient talking, so they're not concentrating
on their discomfort or nervousness. Ask them questions about family
or work to put them at ease. You might even ask if they want a television turned on. Having the patient's family there can also help, but if
having them there makes you nervous, ask them to take a short break
while you ready the patient. Never underestimate the psychology
behind starting an IV. One thing not to do is tell a patient he has small
veins or what a difficult challenge this is. The more comfortable with
you and your skills she is, the easier it will be.
Also, don't be afraid to show a sense of humor. When patients ask
me, "Are you good at this?" I usually say, "I never say how good I am
until it's in." And I tell them that I have my own secret weapon (another style of catheter). That makes them feel as if I'm going out of my
way to help them. OSM
Ms. Gallagher (dsg al0405@msn.com) is a perioperative nurse in ambulatory care services at Brattleboro (Vt.) Memorial Hospital.
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | N O V E M B E R 2013
