Filling in the Lines: Historical Assessments and Their Prevention of Untoward Outcomes in the Day-Surgery Patient

Abstract

THERE IS NO DOUBT in the minds of nurses who work in the ambulatory surgery setting that the more they know about their patients, the better equipped they are to care for and anticipate potential problems. The depth and breadth of that knowledge is provided by the astute assessment skills of the registered nurse (RN) throughout the continuum of care for the perianesthesia patient. This assessment begins in the preadmission/operative evaluation service and continues through the postdischarge follow-up phone calls. Understanding the impact of historical data on the current presentation of the patient provides the avenue for critical thinking and complex problem solving and mediates crisis management when a complication occurs. This two-part column will explore the historical assessment and its impact throughout the perianesthetic continuum of care. Case studies involving untoward outcomes will be reviewed regarding the impact of this historical assessment and its predictive value in managing the patient’s outcomes. Sarah M. Cartwright, BA, RN, CAPA, is a Charge Nurse, CNIV, for Preoperative Evaluation at MCGHealth, Augusta, GA.