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PNDS @ Work: Policies, Procedures, and Pathways

AORN Journal, July, 2006 by Maria G. Heacock

PNDS @ Work: Policies, Procedures, and Pathways Susan V. M. Kleinbeck 2005, 64 pages $15 member/$20 nonmember softcover

Standardized policies and procedures make it possible for everyone to speak the same language and focus on providing quality care. Patient safety is of foremost importance in every caregiver's mind, and perioperative nursing policies and procedures are vital to ensuring that optimal patient care is provided. Although few people have a burning desire to write policies and procedures, it is policies and procedures that facilitate standardized quality care and reduce liability. In a sense, policies and procedures are a form of insurance.

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The Perioperative Nursing Data Set (PNDS) is a standardized nursing vocabulary that promotes good communication among perioperative staff members. This book is a technical, how-to manual that provides step-by-step guidelines that facilities can use to create or update policies and procedures using the PNDS as a guiding tool. The book contains models and templates that can be adapted to allow for a cut-and-paste process of creating policies and procedures that are facility-specific.

Examples of how to incorporate the PNDS vocabulary into facility policies for the perioperative setting are very helpful. Of particular note are the many illustrations in the book regarding how to implement clinical pathways using the PNDS as a model. Variances, such as potential complications and unexpected occurrences that patients may experience during the perioperative course, also are explored and illustrated. Even with my limited involvement in committees that work on policies, procedures, and clinical path ways, I found this book easy to follow.

It is important to note that this book is geared toward the hospital setting. Although a small section in the book addresses the use of clinical pathways in an outpatient setting, nurses working in ambulatory surgery centers may need to adapt the many examples to their settings.

I believe that there are not enough practical, how-to resources available to those who value the provision of quality care and are concerned with reducing liability. This book helps fill that void.

This book is available from AORN, 2170 S Parker Rd, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80231.

MARIA G. HEACOCK

RN, CNOR STAFF NURSE

HEALTH SOUTH SURGERY CENTER

SACRAMENTO, CALIF

Health Care Industry

PNDS @ Work: Policies, Procedures, and Pathways

AORN Journal, July, 2006 by Maria G. Heacock

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