Outpatient Surgery Magazine

Post Your Prices Online - September 2013 - Outpatient Surgery Magazine - Subscribe

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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OSE_1309_part3_Layout 1 9/6/13 12:21 PM Page 140 SAFETY knee-length options. According to the literature, knee-length options work just as effectively as those that stretch to the patient's thigh. Because knee-high stockings are more comfortable for patients, they're likely the preferred option. Anticoagulants such as aspirin, warfarin and low-molecular-weight heparin are effective prevention options for patients who present with known DVT risk factors. Administer doses 1 hour before surgery and continue administration post-op for these individuals. Ensure the proper fit Compression sleeves are made for the arms, but their use is rare. Applying stockings to lower extremities makes more practical sense in most cases (as long as they don't interfere with the operative site) because during surgery, blood pressure cuffs and IVs are in place on and in the arms. The main issue when using compression stockings is to match the correct size to the patient. Stockings that don't fit properly throughout the duration of their use might roll down the patient's legs, causing nerve or muscle injury or prompting the patient to remove the stockings because the fit is uncomfortable. Nurses tend to approximate the size of the leg and don't take the time to properly measure the calf and thigh. That's not sound practice. Take the time to determine the exact circumference and leg length in order to match the measurement with the recommended size (in inches) on the stockings' package. Order two different stockings if the right and left legs measure differently. Also continually measure the patients' legs throughout their stays because swelling may necessitate a change in stocking size. Finally, ensure stockings fit properly around the patients' feet; failing to do so could cause harmful constriction around the toes. 3 1 4 0 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 | S E P T E M B E R 2013

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