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Healing is Coming - February 2021 - 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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hypothermic during surgery. We chose two hours as our length-of-surgery bench- mark because most ortho procedures that are less than two hours don't result in sig- nificant blood loss, which has been linked to unplanned perioperative hypothermia. The algorithm is a simple visual guide to direct providers who may not be versed in our warming protocols. While the completed algorithm is a very simple tool, its creation was a process — with several changes in format before we set- tled on the version and metrics we're using today. If you're planning on creat- ing an algorithm at your facility, you need to function as a team and solicit and implement staff feedback. Warming trend I was optimistic about the prewarming trial, but the results exceeded even my own expectations. Each of the initial six participating surgeons agreed to implement the warming protocols on a permanent basis. Plus, anesthesiologists were extremely vocal about how the active prewarming made an imme- diate difference in their abilities to maintain normothermia among NM patients. Not only have we added the protocol to all ortho patients who fit the algorithm's criteria and our NUSS patients in general surgery, several leaders of neurology, ENT, urology, oph- thalmology and plastics service lines are interested in adding the algorithm to their respective protocols. Our efforts show you can make big changes and get major results — as long as you're willing to put in the work and take the time to get all staff members and providers involved to buy into the change. OSM 4 4 • O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1 RAC Medical Solutions www.racmedicalsolutions.com Customer Service: (855) 798-6685 (6AM – 9PM CST) Email Orders: orders@racmedicalsolutions.com Sales and Marketing: marketing@racmedicalsolutions.com Coming in 1st Quarter 2021 – RAC9000 Sedberry Slush Machine!! Contract number 44467 Healthtrust /HPG RAC Medical Solutions offers: • Irrigation Fluid Warming Systems and Drapes – Designed for use with Irrigation Fluid Warming and Slush Systems • Made in the USA • Veteran-owned small business • Friendly service - best-in- class products to the medical providers Ms. Abbott (kabbott@ phoenixchildrens.com) is the clinical nurse specialty lead in Orthopedics/Spine for Phoenix (Ariz.) Children's Hospital. WARM FLUID In addition to active warming of pre- and intraoperative patients, heating fluids via a warming cabinet is another way to ensure normothermia. Pamela Bevelhymer

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