Hello,

My name is Alexis Friskel and I have been a registered nurse for almost 5 years.  I worked in an Emergency Department in upstate New York until moving back to the Midwest about 2.5 years ago.  Upon moving I accepted a position as a PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit) nurse and have been working in that specialty ever since.  I just started a new position at a smaller orthopedic hospital.  I miss working in a larger facility with a greater variety of surgical cases but I am grateful to have better work-life balance!

The former facility that I worked at had received Magnet Recognition.  One of the standards of Magnet Recognition is the utilization of evidence-based practice in hospital practices.  I saw this within the PACU and pre-operative holding areas with utilization of ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) protocols and utilization of techniques to reduce use of opioids during and after procedures with administration of various nerve blocks, including on the abdomen, and use of “multi-modal” non-narcotic medications that helped with pain control.  Employees also had quick access to the program Up To Date, which I often utilized.  I was excited when I started my new position to also see the use of multi-modal medications and pre-operative measures to reduce use of narcotics.  Use of evidence-based practice can be extremely beneficial in helping improve the quality of the post-operative patient’s recovery.