What makes an OR "highly reliable"?
What makes an organization "highly reliable"—able to avoid the rare but serious breakdowns that can have devastating consequences for patients? A highly reliable organization is one that is "exceptionally consistent in accomplishing their goals and avoiding potentially catastrophic errors," notes the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Some familiar…
Turning around the culture of an OR
In 2001, the ORs at Banner Baywood Medical Center were struggling—physicians were dissatisfied, case volume was down, and 13 staff positions were vacant. "There was a general lack of urgency. There just was no culture of efficiency," says Christine Halowell, RN, MS-HSA, CNOR, director of perioperative services for the Mesa,…
Support for staff when things go wrong
The patient had come to the OR for joint replacement surgery. Though she had a complicated medical history, there was no reason to believe she would have serious problems. But during the surgery, things went wrong, and despite everyone's efforts, the patient died. It hit the team hard, including the…
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