Affiliation:
1. Theatre Sister at the County Hospital in Lincoln.
Abstract
Waiting to go into theatre on the day of your surgery is probably the most stressful time for patients. What happens to patients during this crucial time can make a tremendous difference to the whole experience of going to theatre. Heidi Belbin and her colleagues realised that there was a problem at Lincoln City Hospital with patients being kept waiting at theatre reception and were concerned that the quality of patient care in this respect was not acceptable. A plan was developed to improve this situation, and the story of what was done is told in this article. The project was entered for the 3M/NATN award, and earned a commendation from the judges.