Process and communication concerns led OR management at the University of Florida Health Shands Hospital, Gainesville, to implement a Surgical Safety Process using the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare’s Targeted Solutions Tool (TST) for Wrong Site Surgery. “When we reviewed our patient safety reports, what came to the surface…
The OR environment plays host to a perfect storm of high stakes, time constraints, and egos. As a surgical services director, you’ve likely seen your share of disruptive behavior, and your hospital probably has a zero tolerance policy for transgressions like throwing a surgical instrument across the room during surgery,…
New information on surgical fires sheds light on risk factors, patterns of injury, and why OR teams need to plan for their occurrence. A May 2013 study led by Karen B. Domino, MD, MPH, is the first to assess closed malpractice cases of surgical fires. Dr Domino, professor of anesthesiology…
Surgery is a stressful time not only for patients but also for their families. Using a surgical liaison to communicate the status of an operation to those in the waiting area has boosted the satisfaction of patients, families, and surgeons, say perioperative directors whose hospitals have these positions. The liaison…
Efficient throughput—difficult to achieve, yet essential to long-term financial success—is a Holy Grail for OR nurse leaders, who spend much time and energy seeking it. Given all the demands of their role, how can leaders best use their time to gain the most benefit from throughput initiatives? One method is…
Though retained surgical items (RSIs) cases are rare, they do happen, and they take a heavy toll throughout the system in terms of steep fines, malpractice claims, and compromised patient safety. Estimates of RSIs range from 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 7,000 procedures. And a 2003 study by the…
During a procedure in the OR, a medication is retrieved from the automated supply station and introduced onto the sterile field. The sterile field is then, unknowingly and unintentionally, contaminated by an unsterile medication. This example could happen in any operating room setting. In this case, the circulating nurse spoke…
Just before 2:50 pm on April 15, 2 postanesthesia care nurses from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) crossed the Boston Marathon finish line. Their elation at finishing the race soon turned to fear when they heard the first of 2 explosions. They began searching for friends and family who…
Managing today’s multigenerational perioperative workforce can seem daunting, but understanding the strengths of each group and knowing how best to communicate with them can turn challenges into opportunities. The first step toward promoting generational interrelationships—and to better manage perioperative services for the future—is to “create a generational profile of your…
Sixth in a series on ten elements of safer surgery. Could you and your team find 30 minutes a day to prepare for the next day’s surgical schedule? The effort can be worthwhile. A Chicago-area hospital has found that a half-hour daily huddle not only heads off delays and…