Northland’s Full Anesthesia Program
Special Comfort Options for Pain Management
Deep IV Sedation Anesthesia
Pain-Free Abortion
You deserve the best care. Here, we treat you with respect and dignity - and we tell the truth! Oral valium, lesser injections of pain medication that you may hear about at other clinics is not really an Anesthesia Program. Protecting you and offering you a pain-free abortion requires high standards, modern equipment, specially trained and certified personnel and proper staff training. We have invested in the best to offer you the best care. You can always count on Northland to be the leader in care and in safety. You matter most to us!
Deep IV Sedation at Northland Centers
Is this the same as General Anesthesia?
This is our deepest and strongest IV sedation-anesthesia. You may actually feel you are asleep or not conscious during your abortion surgery. General anesthesia is much more serious and requires additional personnel and safety measures in place. For the short duration of your surgery, general anesthesia is not the preferred method of anesthesia.
Do I need to know I want anesthesia when I make my appointment or can I decide when I get there?
Your care starts with your appointment call.
When you call and we talk about the option of Deep IV Sedation, we will ask several questions for your safety and answer all of yours for your comfort and information.
There are some special guidelines for you as a patient and some health information we need to make sure you are safe. You'll read about these below.
- You will need an escort to be with you here at the Center until you recover and then to take you home.
- It would help to have someone available to keep an eye on you for the next 24 hours after your recovery here. Click here to download the Escort Agreement Form you will complete on the day of your appointment.
- Your health information is confidential. So, tell the truth - it's for your safety. Your CRNA will prepare your anesthesia medication to match your health needs. This is absolutely confidential and only for your safety in preparing the best anesthesia medication for you.
- Make your appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
We would like you to be an informed patient regarding office-based anesthesia. So we will have a conversation with you when you schedule your abortion appointment, to prepare you. When you come in for your appointment, we will provide you with both an informational handout (the information here) and a brochure from the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (from www.aana.com) and, as always, be ready to answer any and all your questions.
Please read through this page, take a look at the frequently asked questions and the resource links and feel free to ask us any questions you may have about this pain-free anesthesia option.
Is office anesthesia safe?
In the hands of a qualified professional, such as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), anesthesia is a safe and effective means of taking away pain during your abortion procedure. Due to improvements in drugs, technology, anesthesia techniques, and provider education, anesthesia care is safer than it has ever been. In fact, the Institute of Medicine reported in 1999 that anesthesia is nearly 50 times safer than it was in the early 1980's.
The same standard of anesthesia care for hospitals and Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASC) also applies to office settings like Northland Family Planning, regardless of whether the anesthesia professional is a CRNA or an Anesthesiologist.
"Anesthesia Care" is not just during surgery. The process also includes specialized care that takes place before and after the anesthesia is given. In addition to our surgical staff, you will be cared for by our Anesthesia Team, CRNAs who will provide the anesthesia, and experienced and skilled Registered Nurses (RN) in the recovery room. You will love these women. They are skilled and kind and they care so much about Northland and the women they help; they told us they just love to come to work! We care about you here, and it shows!
Why do I need an Escort?
It's all about your safety!
Patients receiving deep sedation anesthesia need a responsible adult to provide transportation home upon discharge from the care of Northland Family Planning. Although discharge from the recovery room will not take place until you are stable and ready to leave, the drugs used in sedation remain in the body for 24 hours, and you cannot safely operate a vehicle or any heavy machinery, make any important decisions, or care for small children for that period of time.
Patients leaving the facility after having anesthesia may be groggy, dizzy, light-headed, nauseous, and/or sleepy, and you will need assistance getting home and may require assistance climbing stairs and completing activities of daily living for the 24 hours after you get home.
What is a CRNA?
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are anesthesia specialists who administer approximately 65% of all anesthetics given to patients in the United States each year.
The educational requirements to become a CRNA are strict and extensive. Before applying to a graduate program in nurse anesthesia, a candidate must have a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in nursing or other appropriate baccalaureate degree, a current license as a Registered Nurse, and a minimum of one year's acute care nursing experience. The master's degree nurse anesthesia program itself is 24-36 months, depending on the university requirements. CRNAs are board-certified, and mandatory continuing education is required for recertification every two years.
CRNAs provide high quality anesthesia services combined with personal concern for the health and welfare of patients. They are happy to assist you and offer information about what to expect with your anesthesia. Here at Northland Family Planning, we are pleased to work with women specialists, two women CRNAs and two women Recovery Room RNs who not only excel in their field but are committed to providing you the highest quality abortion care with the dignity and respect you deserve. Read more about these specialized care-givers at www.aana.com.
You deserve the best medical care and we are here to provide that for you.
How will my surgery day go?
In order for you to be safe when under anesthesia, you must follow these instructions:
FOR YOUR SAFETY, BEFORE ANESTHESIA CARE
Follow your Pre-Surgery Instructions.
Some medications and substances can react negatively with anesthetic drugs. Your CRNA will be able to advise you on the possible interactions of the substances you are taking - so be honest! When you call for your appointment, tell us everything you're taking so we can tell you ahead of time what needs to be done and save you time or rescheduling - all to protect your safety.
Be sure to closely follow instructions given to you regarding your intake of medications (including herbal), food, or liquids before anesthesia. Take a look at www.anesthesiapatientsafety.com/patients/med/CAM.asp for more information about herbal supplements, vitamin and medication interactions. It really is all about you!
Talk with your CRNA and tell the truth.
When you come in for your abortion care appointment and before your surgery, you will meet and talk with your CRNA. This confidential interview provides her with information vital to your care. Being open and honest with her is the key to the selection of the best anesthesia medications for you.
Anesthesia is serious. Surgery is serious. Lying could threaten your safety. Remember, this is confidential and you can tell the truth to your CRNA.
When you meet with your CRNA on the day of your appointment, you will also need to answer questions about your health care in general so that she can make the best decision about your individually prepared anesthesia sedation. If you are an interpreter accompanying a patient, the CRNA will meet with both of you.
You are important to us. This is all about your safety.
Will my CRNA stay with me throughout my surgery?
Yes, the CRNA stays with you during the entire procedure, constantly monitoring every important function of your body and individually modifying your anesthesia to ensure your maximum safety and comfort.
AFTER SURGERY WITH ANESTHESIA:
How will I feel after anesthesia? When will I feel normal?
RECOVERY HERE AT NFP:
Following your abortion surgery, you will rest in the recovery room. There, you will be monitored by an experienced and well-trained Registered Nurse and she will be assisted by additional support staff. When you are discharged, you might still feel some effects from your anesthesia. That's why you will need someone to drive you home.
WHEN YOU GO HOME:
Closely follow the directions for your home care.
You may not be able to do some routine activities for up to 24 hours including driving, using complex equipment, caring for small children alone and making important decisions such as signing legal documents.
In addition to the instructions you will be given regarding your post-surgery care, carefully read the following post-anesthesia care restrictions so you can plan ahead for the extra care, help or time you may need.
These restrictions are because of the anesthesia, NOT because of the abortion surgery.
FOR THE 24 HOURS AFTER ANESTHESIA:
- DO NOT drive a car.
- DO NOT operate machinery or power tools.
- DO NOT drink alcohol (including beer)
- DO NOT use recreational drugs, tranquilizers or sleep medications.
- AVOID decisions or engaging in activities that require clear thought or judgment (like signing legal documents), or that require coordination for the remainder of the day.
- AVOID walking without assistance and using stairways.
- AVOID caring for small children without assistance due to possible perception changes for the remainder of the day.
- AVOID spicy foods. There are no food restrictions but eating bland foods for your first meal after anesthesia is recommended. Then, progress to a regular diet as tolerated.
We offer this information and advice so that you will continue good care following your abortion and anesthesia care at Northland family Planning Center. As with your post-surgery home care instructions, we want you to call us if you have any questions. We are available during regular business hours. If you have an emergency after hours, please call the answering service number listed in your home care booklet and follow the instructions for a call back.
Remember, here, you matter. So, take good care of yourself!
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Last page update: 10/08 |
