Peak Living - Fall 2010 - (Page 10)

“Some patientS Stand and take a few StepS on the day of Surgery and otherS are able to climb the StairS. it’S all patient-Specific.” before surgery and after, including how long he would be at Memorial Central after surgery. “He said, ‘I could have you out the same day,’ and I thought he was joking,” Sleeth recalls. He was released from Memorial Central about 12 hours after surgery. “I didn’t use crutches, I went from the walker to the cane,” said Sleeth, an avid golfer who believes his hip trouble is hereditary. “I’m glad I did it.” Two weeks out from surgery, Sleeth was back to work. Another benefit of early movement for people who have had hip or knee replacement surgeries is that fewer people are sent to nursing homes for recovery after surgery. Recent Memorial data show that 7 percent of patients go to a nursing home today compared with 30 percent a year ago. The early mobility process gained popularity with spine and neurosurgeons, and within eight months, Memorial Central applied the early mobility philosophy to people who had back surgeries, netting similar results. “If it was my mom, I would want her out of here,” Sanders said. “This [the hospital] is a place to get better, not a place to stay. We want people to go home, and that’s where they want to go.” Mary Anderson, who had knee replacement surgery after she fell about a year ago, begins physical therapy less than 24 hours after her surgery. She is assisted by Sarah Sacks, a physical therapist. The RighT Doc Do you need to find that may cause people to lose their a physician? Call balance when getting up for the first 719-444-CARE time after surgery. (2273). Patients, no matter what time of day their surgery occurs, are asked to sit up in bed and brush their teeth. Even that movement is helpful because sitting up— instead of lying down— promotes respiratory health. Steps in the Right Direction All of that effort helps to get people to group therapy, where patients dress in their regular clothes and work with physical therapists to get in and out of a mock bathtub and up and down a set of stairs. “When they go to group therapy, they’re getting out of their room and they’re seeing other people who are doing well,” Sanders said. “It also provides a little bit of peer pressure. If you’ve got an 80-year-old woman climbing stairs on the day of surgery and a 40-year-old man who is not moving as well, it puts a little pressure on him.” Memorial’s ortho/neuro/spine unit also strives to involve families in physical therapy. “Having the family members there helps with the patient’s confidence,” Sanders said. Sanders said seeing patients get up and out of the hospital and back to their homes is extremely fulfilling. On the unit, it has helped build morale, teamwork and a sense of accomplishment. “Some patients stand and take a few steps on the day of surgery and others are able to climb the stairs. It’s all patient-specific,” said Sarah Sacks, a physical therapist who helped initiate change on the unit. “Most patients want to get out of bed as soon as possible. They chose to have surgery because they wanted to get back to doing something they couldn’t do. It’s wonderful to see their motivation.” It Takes Teamwork The improvement is part of an overall effort by Dr. Larry McEvoy, chief executive officer of Memorial Health System, to create a culture at Memorial that focuses on building highest-quality health care through teamwork. On the ortho/neuro/spine unit, a team works toward getting people up and out of bed starting immediately after surgery. When a patient arrives in a room, he/she is given a protein drink or broth and crackers to mitigate weakness and dizziness that can occur after fasting for hours before surgery. Nurses remove urinary catheters, allowing patients to go to the bathroom on their own and reducing risk of infection, which can lengthen a person’s stay in the hospital. With a doctor’s blessing, nurses use more ice to dull pain and fewer pain killers, reducing that “loopy” feeling 10 | FA L L 2 0 1 0

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Peak Living - Fall 2010

Peak Living - Fall 2010
Contents
Health Beat
Q&A
Girl Power
Back In Action
Pay It Forward
Focus On Food
Community Calendar
Hope & Healing

Peak Living - Fall 2010