When operating rooms are not running as efficiently as possible, it can lead to delays, dissatisfied patients and a frustrated medical staff. Therefore, optimizing patient throughput is key.
Laurie Saletnik, MSN, BSN, the director of nursing for perioperative services at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, explained in a piece for OR Exec that her OR was facing challenges managing post-anesthesia care unit holds when ICU or inpatient beds were not available.
She outlined the following four solutions to her OR's throughput problem:
1. Increase communication surrounding a PACU hold to alert leadership before and during a hold so they can intervene.
2. Implement a phase two recovery area in the PACU, allowing patients to be moved to a chair when appropriate.
3. Reduce outpatient recovery time by coordinating when anesthesia providers use the most appropriate anesthetics.
4. Put together a team of "go where needed" nurses to use when volume is high.
More Articles on OR Optimization:
Building OR Reliability: 8 Methods for Leaders
Surgical Checklist Item No. 1: Improve Your Relationships
8 Steps to Improve Robotic Surgery Protocols