Implementing these 6 pillars of patient-centered care won't give
them that option.
1. Inform and update patients
Schedule cases with more predictable times early in the morning so
you can better gauge patient arrival times. When you get to the longer
cases later in the day? "Give patients a general idea of an arrival time,
but call them and have them stay home longer if the surgeon is run-
ning behind," says Rebecca Rainey, RN, operating room lead at the
Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery in Munster, Ind. "Most patients
respond well when we tell them the surgeon specifically asked that
we let them know and update them."
Use pre-op phone calls as opportunities to inform them about what
to expect on the day of the procedure, answer any questions they
might have about the surgical experience and reduce their anxiety
before they arrive for surgery. Communicate what makes them nerv-
ous to the frontline staff so they can help make them feel at ease
when they arrive for surgery.
2. Human touch
"Evidence-based studies show that patients who trust their providers
have better outcomes," says Ms. Engle. "We find it's probably more
important that patients trust their nursing staff because we're with
them longer than surgeons are. The more we connect with them as a
person, the better their experiences and the higher their opinion of
the care they receive."
Ask patients if it's OK to address them by their first names, which
helps to build a more personal connection and ensures they don't feel
like just another case you have to move through the facility. It's
impossible to avoid standing directly over prone patients, but doing so
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