J U LY 2 0 1 6 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 3 3
H
ow much do patients dread
feeling nauseated after they
emerge from anesthesia? My
research has shown that many patients would be willing to
pay $100 out of pocket to avoid experiencing post-operative
nausea and vomiting (PONV). The downstream impact of their sick feelings
might turn your stomach, too. Vomiting can delay discharge by 20 minutes and
the cost of treating PONV is 100 times higher than preemptive therapy with a
generic antiemetic. The good news: You can help keep recovering patients feel-
ing fine by following the Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia's recently issued
New Strategies to
Prevent Nausea and
Vomiting After Surgery
Updated guidelines tell us how to manage patients
who are at increased risk for PONV.
TJ Gan, MD, MHS, FRCA
Stony Brook, N.Y.
• SMELL OF RELIEF Aromatherapy is just one of the many measures at
your disposal to prevent post-operative nausea and vomiting.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
