Journal of perioperative practice
-
The hospital experience can bring about a range of negative emotions for children. The literature clearly states that children who are prepared for surgery recover faster and have fewer negative effects. Pre-admission programmes seek to prepare children (and their parents) for surgery. This paper describes in detail how a pre-admission programme was established for children and their families who were scheduled for day case surgery.
-
Performing surgery at an incorrect site has devastating outcomes. The National Patient Safety agency and Royal College of Surgeons England have provided recommendations to promote correct site surgery with emphasis on surgical markings. There is little published data on surgical site marking practices amongst surgeons. ⋯ An appropriate marker pen was used on 88% of patients. There is no evident published data to compare our practice to that of other surgical units, however, to improve correct site surgery markings should be visible, recognisable and understood by all specialties and grades. A universal marking system to improve correct site surgery may be beneficial.
-
This article evaluates whether avoidance of nitrous oxide in general anaesthesia can improve clinical outcomes in surgical patients by reducing postoperative nausea and vomiting, and whether avoidance should become part of a routine clinical management strategy. Despite some controversy, the greatest strength of evidence suggests that avoidance of nitrous oxide may be justified as a pre-emptive perioperative strategy as part of a multimodal approach to postoperative nausea and vomiting, especially in those patients known to have a higher baseline risk.