Impact of Alternative Therapies With Surgery and Anesthesia

Abstract

Many patients that come for surgery take alternative therapies include herbal products, vitamins and supplements, based on their belief system or cultural background. Patients do not always inform their provider about these alternative therapies. As a nurse working in the Preoperative/Post Anesthesia Care Unit, I discovered that many of our patients were not including alternative therapies on their medication lists. The nursing staff had to enter the alternative therapies in the patient record on the morning of surgery or they were not getting recorded. This was a concern because as some alternative therapies need to be held more than 24 hours prior to surgery to prevent potential interactions. Alternative therapies can have a significant impact on a peri-anesthesia patient. It is necessary for PACU nurses to be knowledgeable in the indications for alternative therapies including the potential anesthesia and surgical complications to expect for the peri-operative patients.