Perioperative Care
The PREPARE Programs
There are two PREPARE clinics providing outpatient screening for patients who will require anesthesia for surgical, radiological and diagnostic procedures, one on the Parnassus campus and one on the Mt Zion campus.The PREPARE program is managed by the Department of Nursing in collaboration with the Department of Anesthesia.
Patients are seen in the PREPARE clinics a week or two before their surgery where they are seen by an anesthesia provider or nurse practitioner. During their PREPARE visit, patients receive a screening history and physical exam; any necessary lab tests, X-ray, EKG or diagnostic procedures; and preoperative teaching. This is a time to review important patient information such as the expected post-operative course and their role in contributing to the best possible surgical outcome.
PREPARE is a fast-paced clinic that interacts with many areas of the Medical Center and referral sites in the community. The Nurse Practitioners who work in PREPARE have a key role in coordinating the care of the preop surgical patient. In addition to performing age-appropriate preoperative evaluations, the nurses help initiate preoperative best practices, including:
- Initiating clinical pathways;
- Initiating appropriate admission assessment forms;
- Performing pain assessment/consultation;
- Communicating and consulting with referring MDs, community, and UCSF providers;
- Identifying primary care and health maintenance needs of the patients; and
- Initiating referrals as needed.