Outpatient Surgery Magazine

2018 Salary Survey - January 2019 - Subscribe to Outpatient Surgery Magazine

Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.

Issue link: http://outpatientsurgery.uberflip.com/i/1070687

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 13 of 124

1 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 I t's no great secret that inject- ing a small amount of 1% lidocaine under the skin just before the venipuncture will make IV starts a painless breeze for both patients and nurses, who can take their time to do the stick, knowing they aren't causing the patient any discomfort with the attempt. The trick, though, is get- ting your pre-op nurses to routine- ly use subdermal lidocaine. Here's how to counter the excuses you're likely to hear: 1. "It's 2 sticks and it takes more time!" Yes, of course, but the 30 gauge needle they'll use to admin- ister lidocaine is much smaller — and much less painful! — than the 20 gauge IV needle. Stress to your nurses that when they perform venipuncture, the patient will only feel some pressure but no stick. 2. "But it stings!" Yes, but only for a second. Patients might feel a brief stinging sensation just as the lidocaine takes effect, but the numbing agent takes effect almost immediately. Stress to your nurses that they're using an anesthetic with a tiny needle to numb the area so their patients will feel little to no pain. Put another way: You're using a PRE-INCISION LIDOCAINE The Secret to Painless IV Starts • A LITTLE STICK When it comes to painless IV starts, 2 sticks are better than 1 — first subdermal lidocaine to numb the area, followed by the IV catheter, which patients might not feel at all. Ideas Work That

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Outpatient Surgery Magazine - 2018 Salary Survey - January 2019 - Subscribe to Outpatient Surgery Magazine