Volume 25, Issue 1, 2003

The Mary Glover Lecture: The future of neuroscience nursing is in the “Here and Now”

Carmen G. Loiselle, PhD

Abstract

Carmen G. Loiselle, as the Mary Glover lecturer, presented the following text in Quebec City at the conference of the Canadian Association of Neuroscience Nurses in June 2003.

I wish to warmly thank Ms. Martha Stewart and the conference organizing committee for the opportunity to open the thirty-fourth annual meeting and scientific conference of the Canadian Association of Neuroscience Nurses. It is with great pleasure and anticipation that I come to you this morning to share some of my thoughts on the discipline of nursing and to highlight the many opportunities that are now available for the growing field of neuroscience nursing. Hence the title of my presentation, “The future of neuroscience nursing is in the here and now”. I also wish to convey my profound belief that neuroscience nursing is in many ways leading the profession of nursing by being at the heart of cutting-edge developments in our discipline.

AXON, 25(1), 13–17.

Lumbar discectomy: Developing and implementing a day surgery protocol

Kathy Doerksen and Jodi Dusik-Sharpe

Abstract

In some centres, patients who require a lumbar discectomy are successfully discharged the day of surgery. With the ongoing pressure to provide safe care for patients within certain bed limitations, this option was considered. Using a continuous quality improvement method, a prospective review of patients undergoing a single-level lumbar discectomy was monitored.

Based on pre-set criteria, patients were included or excluded in the day surgery protocol and both groups were monitored. A large component of nursing education was provided for all patients, and will be highlighted. Data retrieved for both groups included demographics, length of operation, length in recovery room, length of hospital stay required, and the re-admission rate. There were 47 patients monitored over 11 months. Of the 34 patients entered in the protocol, seven required an overnight stay. Following review of the data, the criteria for inclusion of patients into the protocol has been altered and patients can safely proceed with day surgery for lumbar discectomy.

AXON, 25(1), 18–21.

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