KevinMD July 27, 2024
After 45 years as an ICU nurse specializing in surgical trauma ICU and eventually PACU nursing, Marsha wasn’t ready to retire. She was restless and bored and decided to continue her PACU expertise at a freestanding surgical center. While juggling that job and an endoscopy center, she started to notice a recurring theme: time is money.
The endoscopy freestanding clinic performed colonoscopies, EGDs, and sigmoidoscopies—up to 42 procedures a day. More endoscopy procedures meant more revenue for the system, making them lucrative money-makers.
Marsha prepared patients at both freestanding centers. She started IVs, administered medications, gathered medical histories, checked for allergies, and obtained signed consents. After the procedures, she would wait for the patients to wake up from anesthesia, then...