A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 7 5
tioned and why that
exact positioning is
important for meeting
the goals of surgery. He
hits on patient posi-
tioning during pre-op
huddles, which take
place before the safety
time out. During the
quick gatherings,
which often last less
than 2 minutes, Dr.
Archdeacon gets the
surgical team on the
same page with respect to how he wants the next patient positioned. Is a pres-
sure ulcer forming? Do vulnerable areas on the skin need particular attention
and padding?
"That communication is the critical element of proper positioning," he says.
"If the surgical team members know and understand my concerns, they're better
prepared to position the patient as needed for that particular procedure."
Surgeon preference cards note general positioning tips for the scheduled pro-
cedure, but discussions during pre-op huddles address issues or concerns spe-
cific to the patient on the table, says Dr. Archdeacon. He says the huddles
improve the efficiency of the case preparation process and staff members have
more buy-in with respect to how patients are placed and padded on the surgical
table if they discuss the process with the surgeon minutes before a case begins.
Don't forget to consider intraoperative imaging when positioning patients.
"For cases involving fluoroscopy, confirm that the patient is positioned in a
way that will let you obtain the needed images," says Dr. Archdeacon.
• DIRECT ROUTE Proper patient positioning helps surgeons gain access to joints using their
preferred surgical approach.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR
