Pre-operative assessment Essay

Pre-operative assessment (POA) and planning, carried out prior to treatment, ensures that the patient is fully informed about the procedure and the post operative recovery, is in optimum health and has made arrangements for admission, discharge and post operative care at home. POA and planning is an essential part of the planned care pathway which enhances the quality of care in a number of ways. * If a patient is fully informed, they will be less stressed and recover more quickly * A health check ensures good medical health before anaesthesia and surgery * Planning admission and discharge individually ensures that patient and carers know what to expect facilitating earlier post operative care at home * Cancellations due to patient ill health or DNAs are reduced * Admission on the day of surgery and early discharge are more likely By improving the planned admission process, you also enhance the patient experience and the clinical process, as well as the efficiency and productivity of the trust. POA and planning should form a natural part of the process for all planned surgery. You may wish to match the intensity of the process to the patient’s level of fitness and complexity of the procedure. The key areas covered in the National Good Practice Guidance on Pre-operative Assessment for Inpatient and Day Case Surgery include: * The objectives of pre-operative assessment  * Who should undergo pre-operative assessment * When and where pre-operative assessment should take place * Who should perform pre-operative assessment * The risks, benefits and informed consent * What should happen after pre-operative assessment * What information should be given to patients * How records should be kept * How the pre-operative assessment service should be audited * Training in pre-operative assessment * Examples of effective practice