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BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
require everyone to wear button-up scrub jackets to prevent contamination from the skin sloughing off our arms. This requirement presents other problems, however, such as when the jacket is contaminated by everything it's dragged against. Or picture prepping for a total
joint, holding the leg up and watching the prep run down past your
gloves to soak into the sleeve of your jacket. Then, sorry, no time to
run to the locker room for a change of clothes during that case.
• Cell phones and pagers. I miss the days when the only interruption from
the outside world during surgery came from a lone pager. I agree with cell
phone restrictions in the OR. Most times they don't go far enough. All
phones and pagers should be left somewhere other than the circulator's
work station, and should be answered by someone who isn't standing
watch over the patient's care. Would a surgeon split his attention between
the patient and taking messages? And what's up with staffers at the edge
of the room who are more preoccupied with elecPaying someone
tronic devices than the patient and case on the
to fine you for
table? It's a little irritating when you need help and
the way you've
other team members are so involved with their
always done
phones that texting them is the quickest way to get
things is like
them to pay attention to what's going on.
paying someone
New technology changes surgical practices, and
to beat you up.
rules and regulations come and go or are re-vised
with time. But no matter which changes are chasing which demands, we'll continue to give exemplary care. I'm pretty sure we don't know how to
do it any other way. OSM
Ms. Watkins can be reached
at pwatkins12@comcast.net.
S E P T E M B E R 2013 | 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
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