J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 7 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 1 2 7
Laugh a Little
Life in the OR can be funny — even when it's not meant to be.
I
t's OK to laugh at things in the OR that aren't meant to be funny.
So next time something humorous happens during a case and
someone says, "Someday, we'll laugh at this," respond by asking,
"Why wait?"
You can't fix stupid, but you can sedate it. The circulator teams
up with the anesthesia provider to tailor each patient's anesthe-
sia experience so it goes smoothly and is uneventful. Well, that's the
goal anyway. Some patients have a "stupidoid" brain defect. If only we
could do a "stupidectomy" while we had them asleep.
Possessed OR equipment. When an electronic component in
the OR is on the fritz, I try 1 of 3 fixes: unplug it, start over or
reboot it. That usually works. But what about when the flat screen
monitor drifts? You position it where the surgeon wants it, you turn
your back and the monitor mockingly floats back to where it was.
Don't tell me to lock it. It is locked. This sounds like a job for Coban.
I'll tell you what is locked, though: the screen on this EMR. You're
clicking away, checking boxes when all of a sudden the screen
freezes. Under my breath comes a string of profanities that would
shock a sailor.
Take the good with the bad. Even when I'm expecting to have a
good day, sometimes the sinister OR gods have a different idea.
For instance, the schedule says right foot. The patient says left foot.
Both feet are "fubar." The tech sets up the case in accordance with
the pick sheet and schedule. The surgeon is late. When he finally
shows up, he talks to the patient and it's decided we're doing both
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Behind Closed Doors
Paula Watkins, RN, CNOR
