AORN journal
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Peripheral nerve blocks are used as part of a preemptive and multimodal analgesic technique to provide safe and effective postoperative pain management with minimal side effects. They are used for a variety of surgical procedures in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Peripheral nerve blocks have resulted in shorter recovery times, decreased anesthesia-related complications, and better postoperative pain management. ⋯ Nerve blocks have allowed procedures previously performed only in hospitals to be performed on an outpatient basis by providing extended surgical area analgesia. The use of peripheral nerve blocks, however, requires skilled and knowledgeable clinicians. This article discusses the mechanism of action and the role of peripheral nerve blocks in multimodal analgesia, as well as perioperative nursing implications and management for upper and lower extremity peripheral nerve blocks.
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Practice Guideline Guideline
Recommended practices for skin preparation of patients.
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Political apathy in the nursing profession can be attributed to numerous factors, including a perceived ethical conflict between professional values and political involvement, as well as a lack of strategy for political action. Differences in personal and professional ethics, conflicting loyalties, and a negative image of politics create ethical tension for nurses. Political-ethical conflicts can mean choosing between job, patient care, and personal ideals. ⋯ Many guidelines exist to help nurses understand why they should get involved in the political process. By using these guidelines, nurses can evaluate issues and use a valid method to assess problems, plan for action, and evaluate the effectiveness and benefits of specific strategies. In the second of this two-part series on political involvement in nursing, political-ethical conflict is explored, along with strategies for political action.
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At Spectrum Health, Grand Rapids, Mich, a process to verify patient identification, procedure, and procedure side and site was developed and implemented to improve the current process. Focusing on risk-reduction strategies, an interdisciplinary task force revised the facility's surgical site identification policy and improved the surgical scheduling form to highlight information for sided procedures. ⋯ Ongoing data collection verifies that the process remains in place and that team members are compliant. The improved process maximizes patient safety because it allows for early intervention when any discrepancies are identified.