About 8 years ago, Maine Medical Center (MMC) in Portland had a policy that required visitors to wait in the surgery waiting room at least 3 hours before being allowed to visit their loved ones. The postanesthesia care unit (PACU) nurse was not expected to communicate with the family while they waited. However, after we experienced what it was like to wait for a loved one in surgery, it became clear that changes were needed.
Editor’s Note: This page is a companion piece to the…
While most emergency surgical procedures are carried out uneventfully and…
How would you describe the ideal OR? Whatever the answer,…