Outpatient Surgery Magazine

Running on Empty - August 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.

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1 0 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 9 W e've all seen patients with post-op delirium. They're disoriented and confused immedi- ately after surgery. They have trouble focusing and are unable to participate in their care as they're either restless and agitated or too drowsy to pay atten- tion. The visible short-term effects of delirium may fade fairly quick- ly, but research now shows that the risk of mortality increases for several years following an episode. Patients who experience deliri- um are also at increased risk of falls and long-lasting cognitive decline, including dementia. Once home, the hidden symptoms of delirium may make it difficult for the patient to manage their med- ications and care for their wounds, impeding a successful recovery. About half of your patients who are 65 years or older will experience some level of delirium after surgery. The bad news? There are no med- ications that prevent or shorten delirium. The good news? The American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program's (NSQIP) online risk calculator and the Trail Making Test Part B (TMT Part B) are easy tools that help identify patients most at risk for Predicting Post-op Delirium Severity New ways of using old screening tools can help you identify at-risk patients. Anesthesia Alert Heidi Lindroth, PhD, RN • COMFORT MEASURES Efforts to reorient patients as soon as possible after sur- gery help to lessen the negative impact delirium can have on successful recoveries.

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