What to look for
Your surgeons will want to
test-drive their preferred C-
arm options for 2 weeks to
30 days of surgery, but a
trial period can show you a
lot of things. Don't neglect
your surgical staff's com-
ments when you're collect-
ing evaluation notes. Is the
equipment easy to set up
and turn on? How long does
it take before it's ready for
use? Keep in mind that a C-
arm is a big piece of machinery, and can be unwieldy to transport to a
case. Is it maneuverable around your facility, by your nurses and
techs?
Cost is an important consideration, of course, but a manufacturer's
service is critical when it comes to C-arms. A rep who's present dur-
ing trials to in-service your surgeons and staff before and during pro-
cedures, who's accommodating and open to your questions, who's
willing to address the potential obstacles noted in evaluations, in
short, a rep who's dedicated to customers, goes a long way toward
ensuring you'll be able to count on the technology you need when you
need it. OSM
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Foot-pedal controls let
physicians shoot the images
themselves at the exact
moment they want to capture.
Ms. Barnett (pamela.barnett@stjohn.org) is clinical nurse manager of perioperative services
at St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital's Oakland Center in Madison Heights, Mich.
