The Role of PAs in Orthopedic Surgeries

I’ve been reflecting on how essential we are in the operating room during orthopedic surgeries. For instance, did you know that PAs often assist with tasks like suturing and managing post-operative care? I’m curious about others’ experiences — what surgical procedures do you find most challenging or rewarding?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​​‌‍‍​‌⁠‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍​‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌⁠‌​‌‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍⁠‍​⁠‌​​⁠‌‌‌‌​​‌​‍​‌⁠‌​‌​⁠​‌⁠​‌‌​​⁠‌​​‍‌‌‌‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

And absolutely, I’ve found the transition from assisting in the OR to managing post-op care really rewarding. One tip I learned is to start the discharge planning early — having everything set beforehand eases the transition for both the patient and the team. What’s been your go-to strategy for effective post-op management?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​​‌‍‍​‌⁠‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍​‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‌‌​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​⁠​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌​⁠‍‌⁠‌​​⁠‌⁠‌​⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‍⁠​‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​⁠‍‌​⁠​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​​‍⁠‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

It’s so true! I find suturing in the OR to be challenging but super rewarding. What specific techniques do you use to improve efficiency?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​​‌‍‍​‌⁠‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍​‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‌‌​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​​​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‌‍‌‍⁠​‌⁠​​​‍⁠‌‌⁠‌​‌‌‌​​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌‍​⁠‌​​‌​⁠‌‌‌‍‌‍‌​​‌‌​‍‍​⁠​‍‌‌‌​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​