his initials next to the
surgeon's mark.
• Involve the circu-
lating nurse in the
marking process, so a
representative from
the OR team has
observed the site marking and brings that knowledge to the pre-op
time out when the correct site will be confirmed once again.
• Perform the time out before administering anesthesia so patients
can actively participate in confirmation of the correct site.
Dr. Rodriguez also suggests referring to the surgical consent, not the
surgical schedule, when confirming the correct site, because it con-
tains the most accurate information about the planned procedure.
Signature moment
Wrong-site surgeries still occur, and one is one too many, but Dr.
Rodriguez believes rates are on the decline because surgeons and sur-
gical staffs are more engaged in marking sites correctly.
"Healthcare economics have increased production pressures, which
are the root cause of many wrong-site surgeries," he says. "But more
attention is being paid to preventing wrong-site surgeries, and surgical
professionals are taking the site-marking process more seriously."
OSM
7 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9
Operating on the
correct eye
shouldn't come
down to a coin flip.
