1. Make sure your instructions are clear. Physicians and staff members with medical backgrounds may insert medical lingo that isn’t clear to patients. In order to make sure your pre- and post-operative care instructions are clear, go over each sentence with a non-medical staff member to ensure everything can be understood by a layperson.
You should also make sure that each instruction is very clear about what a patient can or can’t do. “You should be thinking, ‘How clear have we been about [the patient] taking care of his wound? Are there clear instructions on taking a shower rather than a bath or resuming strenuous activities?'” says Ms. Jones. Look at the layout of your instructions and make sure the most important parts catch the reader’s eye. You have to assume that not every patient will read your instructions thoroughly or understand the terms you use.
2. Talk to the patient before admission. If possible, give your patients instructions about post-operative care before they arrive at the center. If a patient has just come out of surgery, they will likely be somewhat drowsy — not in the right state to listen to a long list of “dos and don’ts.” Ms. Jones says you should call patients a few days before surgery and talk with them about the upcoming procedure. At that time, you can also go over any medications they’re currently taking or will be prescribed, when to discontinue medications or start taking them and whether to eat before and after surgery.
3. Repeat and reinforce. When in doubt, repeat yourself. When giving instructions and asking questions, Ms. Jones says it can help to go over information a few times. With instructions, patients might say they understand a piece of information because they’re embarrassed to admit that they don’t. With questions, patients might avoid the truth or not understand the question the first time you ask, so be persistent. “Ask questions in different ways,” Ms. Jones says. “You need to probe and make sure you have all the information you need from the patient, including medication and history of illness.”
4. Use family members to your advantage. Ms. Jones says ASCs are generally set up to accommodate a conversation between family members and surgery center staff. When family members are sitting in the waiting room, you can give them information to read about post-operative care, so they are prepared to ask questions when you reiterate post-operative care information with the patient and family before discharge from the surgery center.
5. Understand the patient’s state of mind. Before surgery, many patients will be nervous and therefore less likely to pay attention to long-winded instructions. “They’re apprehensive,” Ms. Jones says. “They have other things they’re thinking about, like fear of having the surgery in the first place, who’s going to take care of their children or who’s going to take care of them when they get home. If they’re elderly and alone and they have to rely on their neighbor or a visiting relative, that’s an extra worry.” She says that recognizing all the concerns on a patient’s mind can help your staff go through information more slowly and notice when a patient isn’t absorbing their instructions.
6. Call the patient after the procedure. Though it’s not required, Ms. Jones says most surgery centers call the patient within 24 hours to follow up. One day after surgery, you can ask if the patient is experiencing pain that cannot be controlled by medication and see if the patient has further questions. “It’s also good to have discharge instructions that detail how the person can get in touch with a physician during off-hours if needed,” Ms. Jones says.
