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BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Paula Watkins, RN, CNOR
A Christmas List for the OR
Because Paula and her friends have been nice, mostly.
How are you and Mrs. Claus and the reindeer? How's your cholesterol and blood sugar? Have you had your A1c checked lately, and
are you taking your blood pressure medication? As you know, it's that
time of year again, and some of my nursing friends and I put together
a list of things that would sure put smiles on our faces if you brought
them to our ORs this Christmas.
• Comfortable shoes. Standing around for long cases leaves us
with aching feet. We can't all fit on those padded mats that some surgeons have next to the table, but maybe we could get some new, comfortable, clinically acceptable shoes. If they make them with that
padded mat stuff inside of them, that would be really nice.
• More help would be wonderful. Not just any help, though. Help
that actually works. Peers who don't disappear when there's work to
be done or patients to be moved. Employees who don't set up their coworkers for failure. A staff that has at times worked in each others'
positions and experienced each others' roles and responsibilities, so
they learn that no one has an easier job than another.
• Wireless technology. No cords on any gadget or gizmo anywhere
in the OR. They only tangle, trip and slow us down. And a universal
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | D E C E M B E R 2012
