have to change the blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter probe and EKG leads when the
patient is transferred to a different level of care throughout the perioperative period,"
says Ms. Looker.
6. Safety sharps. When it comes to improving employee safety in cataract surgery, look
no further than safety sharps. "We use safety needles and knives when available in the
product that the doctor is needing," says Ms. Koppinger.
You're not alone if not all your eye surgeons use safety sharps. As Ms. Tietjen says, "Not
all companies have safety knives that surgeons prefer." At River Drive Surgery & Laser
Center in Elmwood Park, N.J., they're well on their way to using nothing but safety
sharps. "All of our surgeons are either using them or transitioning to them," says Tiffany
Trizzino, RN, director of perioperative services. It's still a challenge, she says, to convert
docs who prefer a non-retractable knife.
Ms. Brooks uses the Qlicksmart blade remover system, which allows for single-handed
scalpel blade removal.
7. Improved ergonomics.
Heads-up screen-based sur-
gery, microscopes with tilt-
ing oculars, and posture-sen-
sitive chairs that move up
and down are saving the
spines of countless sur-
geons. Leica's microscope
has tilt to the oculars, which
many consider to be an ele-
gant design element of
ergonomic assistance.
Surgeons at the JFK
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O U T P A T 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 | M A Y 2 0 1 5
z JUST THE BASICS Cataract procedure packs should include the basics you
need for every case, but not surgeon-specific items you can pull before the case.
