1. Make a connection
Cataracts are 60% of the caseload at the Delray Beach (Fla.) Surgery
Center. "They're our bread-and-butter procedures, so we make sure
patients feel valued," says Carol Cappella, RN, MSN, CNOR, the facili-
ty's clinical director.
Those efforts begin as soon as cases are scheduled when members of
Ms. Cappella's staff call patients to invite them to register for surgery
through the center's online portal, which lets them fill out electronic
forms at their convenience. Staff members follow up with patients in the
days before surgery to briefly review the information patients have sub-
mitted and to answer questions they might have about their procedure.
They also use that opportunity to make connections and establish
relationships with patients that make them feel informed and comfort-
able about what will happen on the day of surgery.
"Older patients who undergo cataract surgery often enjoy talking on
the phone and they're usually excited to meet the staff member who
they spoke to when they arrive for surgery," says Ms. Cappella. "Don't
ignore the importance of establishing that personal bond as soon as
possible."
2. Ensure their comfort
Sedative tablets are available that deliver midazolam, ketamine and
ondansetron through the mucosa of the tongue. They work very well
to relax and sedate patients without subjecting them to an IV start,
but Charles B. Slonim, MD, suggests using them on a case-by-case
basis. "Some patients don't want to be aware of anything when their
eyes are getting worked on. For them, IV sedation is probably best,"
says Dr. Slonim, a clinical associate professor of ophthalmology at the
University of South Florida Eye Institute in Tampa, Fla.
A significant part of efforts to calm patients at the Delay Beach
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