It’s efficient until it isn’t

Efficiency.

Efficiency is the hallmark of a well-run surgical case, a well-run OR room, and a well-run OR.

Efficiency is the way I try to run my life as well, results will not be the same for everyone.

Efficiency can also turn around and bite the hand that feeds it.

You can have all the cases teed up for the rest of the day in your room. All the instruments, all the supplies, the organization is just stunning. And then there is an emergency case and all of your original cases and painstaking organization are going to SOMEONE ELSE. You are given the emergency case and you need a certain instrument that you’ve already pulled for what was going to be your last case of the day.

What do you do?

Which case do you feed first?

The first thing to do is to mourn the fruits of your efficiency going to another room and another nurse.

It will be okay.

Next is to tell the nurse who is the benefactor of your largess that you need the instrument that is currently teed up for the 1600 case. It is only a maybe for the 1600 case but it is a definite need for your 0730 emergency.

If you are the new nurse who has been gifted this magnificently organized day, you do not hide the instrument in question out of spite. You give up the instrument and ask that it be sent down to be sterilized as soon as the emergency is over so that you may have this maybe instrument for the 1600 case.

If you are the original nurse do not snap that of course you will send down the instrument for reprocessing and don’t hold it hours after the emergency case before sending it down to be reprocessed. Out of spite because your beautifully efficient day has just gone down the tubes.

Again, it will be okay.

The best case scenario is that the emergency does not take too long, and uses the maybe instrument that you promptly send down to be reprocessed in time for the 1600 case. After the emergency, your room is now clear and no other cases are moved into it.

You have the rest of your shift to be the float nurse and move around helping rooms.

If you start thinking about tomorrow’s line up of cases in your room, that’s okay.

Efficiency can be efficient tomorrow.

Today is for taking care of today’s patients and also your coworkers.