Oncologic Surgical Care Using an Enhanced Recovery Approach

Enhanced recovery programs are multimodal, evidence-based perioperative programs designed to improve a patient’s functional recovery after surgery. Enhanced recovery programs promote standardized, multidisciplinary care throughout the perioperative course to improve patient outcomes, rather than focusing on surgical technique. It is important for nurses working in acute and critical care to be aware of the paradigm shift created by the trend toward the enhanced recovery approach. By learning more about facets of the approach, the nurse will be better prepared to adopt whatever aspects of enhanced recovery their institution implements for the surgical oncology population. An overview is provided of the potential components of enhanced recovery.