2 2 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • M A Y 2 0 1 6
Discharge Instructions Done Right
For patients, surgery's a big step, but it's not the last step in the
process. There's still recovery, which continues on their own
watch after you discharge them from PACU. You're sending them
and their family members off with some important responsibili-
ties, but there are ways to ensure they'll understand and follow
your post-op care instructions. — Compiled by David Bernard
• Last things first. Patients aren't at
their best when they're recovering from
anesthesia. They're often groggy, to say
the least. Their caregivers are under-
standably distracted, as well. So you
can't expect them to listen to and remember much of the post-
op care instructions you're reciting in the minutes before they're
discharged. That's why you should consider delivering discharge
details before they're taken to pre-op. Patients and family mem-
bers are likely to be more attentive and ask more questions dur-
ing a quick sit-down ahead of time than in the post-anesthesia
haze of PACU.
• On-screen guide. You might even consider producing a short
instructional video to have patients and
families watch as part of the intake process.
In a couple of minutes, one of your staff
members can describe how to handle minor
aches and pains, identify potential compli-
cations, return to daily routines and take
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