8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • A U G U S T 2 0 1 8
G
etting wheeled
into the OR is
stressful
enough, but imagine
how much more anxiety
older patients feel if they
can't see clearly or fully
hear what nurses are
saying. In an effort to improve the care of our elderly patients, we
let them wear their glasses and hearing aids until just before anes-
thesia induction. Patients are much more relaxed when they're
able to see exactly where they are and who's speaking to them.
Perhaps more importantly, our nurses can give them directions
without having to raise their voices. We also let patients wear
their dentures into the OR to make it easier for them to communi-
cate with us. We encourage patients to bring cases for their glass-
es and hearing aids, and we provide denture cups. The pre-op
nurses note in the patient records which devices patients wore to
the OR and the circulating nurse makes the same notation for the
PACU nurses to reference. We return the items to patients as soon
as possible after surgery so they can reorient themselves in
PACU.
Deborah Bartol, BSN, RN-BC, CNOR
Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital
Richmond, Va.
bartol.debbie@gmail.com
SIGHT, SOUND + SPEECH
Let Seniors Wear Their Hearing Aids
and Glasses to the OR
Ideas Work
That
