oids to manage post-op pain and
patients who have had previous
surgeries without regional anes-
thesia are often astounded at the
difference a nerve block makes.
The number of patients who
request blocks and the number of
blocks we place have increased
each year, and we're now looking
to expand their use beyond ortho-
pedic patients to general abdomi-
nal, gynecological and breast sur-
geries. We've learned that a multi-
modal pain management plan will
improve orthopedic outcomes and
increase patient satisfaction if it's
built on these 5 pillars of nerve
block success.
1. Facility-wide buy-in
To make a regional anesthesia pro-
gram work, be as inclusive as possible of all the staff across the many
disciplines who are involved, including, nurses, anesthesia providers
and surgeons. You need to create a united, team atmosphere.
Your surgeons might push back against your efforts to standardize the
block-placing process in a dedicated procedure room, preferring instead
to place the blocks in the OR. They might even want to avoid blocks alto-
gether, thinking the time it takes to place blocks will delay the start of
their cases. That's OK. A very important part of establishing a successful
block program is to acknowledge and address each surgeon's concerns,
1 0 • 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 U L Y 2 0 1 9
• INSIDE LOOK Ultrasound guidance ensures anesthesia
providers infuse local anesthetic around the targeted nerve.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR
