Journal of perioperative practice
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The use of humour was reviewed to establish whether it could be used constructively to reduce work-related stress within the perioperative environment. It is clear from the review that further research is required in order to gain a better understanding of the concept of humour and its uses in healthcare and it is hoped that this review will contribute towards the increasing body of knowledge in this field.
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David Wilkinson, Anaesthesia Practitioner (AP) and current representative of APs on the National Reference Panel, discusses the history of non-physician anaesthesia and its introduction into the UK; the arguments for and against the role; and offers a reflective view of the training.
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Preparing patients for surgery has traditionally included the routine removal of body hair from the intended surgical wound site. However, there are studies which claim that preoperative hair removal is deleterious to patients, perhaps by causing surgical site infections (SSIs), and should not be carried out. ⋯ There is insufficient evidence to state whether removing hair impacts on surgical site infection or when is the best time to remove hair. However, if it is necessary to remove hair then both clipping and depilatory creams results in fewer SSIs than shaving using a razor.
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Discharge readiness of patients from the post anaesthetic care unit (PACU) is often determined by specific discharge criteria. This quantitative, descriptive national study aimed to survey discharge criteria used in the PACU. Data from 45 hospitals nationally with a response rate of 77.8% (n = 35) was gathered. Specific discharge criteria were used by 71.4% (n = 25) of the PACUs in the determination of fitness of patients for discharge from the PACU.
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Anyone who has seen a skull bone flap being turned or the sternum being divided at a median sternotomy will be well aware of the considerable bleeding that can occur in these procedures from the highly vascular red bone marrow inside these structures. They will also, no doubt, have seen the surgeon stem the bleeding by smearing wax--Horsley's bone wax--over the cut surfaces of the bone.