J U N E 2 0 1 7 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 1 3 1
Slight Exaggerations
Surgical sayings that stretch the truth just a bit.
S
urgery has its own set of sayings that exaggerate the truth. We
hear these time and again. Here's what you're left with when
you peel back the fiction from the fact.
Scrub: "Go get the patient. I'm ready."
So you do. But when you come back, your scrub says she needs at least
a dozen things. Mind you, she's still scrubbed in, arms crossed and seat-
ed on a stool. It would take her all of 5 minutes to
cleanse her hands, re-gown and glove after getting the
items she's wanting me to get. (Never mind that I'm trying
to position our 300-plus-pound patient on a surfboard-size
bed.)
"No cell phones allowed in the OR."
Your tech has one, the anesthesia provider has one
(plus an iPad), the industry rep has one and the
surgeon has 2 phones.
"Staffing is going to get better. We have
2 more travelers coming next week."
Mmm, great! But what about the 2 full-time nurs-
es that left last Friday? The 2 out for maternity
leave? And the new one that's still wet behind the
ears?
Patient: "Just knock me out."
If only we could for some.
Behind Closed Doors
Paula Watkins, RN, CNOR
