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T U R N O V E R
Before we get to the how, however, let's first address the who. As in,
who should be on your turnover team? Should it be an all-hands-ondeck mad dash to ready the room for the next case, or is it better to
form a dedicated platoon of turnover specialists who are on cleanup
duty all shift long? Everyone's job, or the job of a few good men and
women? Let the debate begin.
Turnover is everyone's job
"Everyone is the turnover team," says Jenna Pon, ADN, BSN, administrator of the Outpatient Surgery Center of La Jolla (Calif.).
"No one is above helping with turnover," adds Kelly Wilson, RN,
administrator of the Ponte Vedra (Fla.) Plastic Surgery Center.
"Nurses, scrubs and techs all participate in turnovers. No one is too
good to mop or wipe down equipment. Turnover is everyone's job."
Some facilities literally sound the alarm when a room's ready to be
turned over, relaying via walkie-talkies that the procedure is finished,
the patient is ready to be transferred and the room is ready to be
turned over, or announcing on an overhead page that "Room 2 needs
turnover help."
"No prima donnas. The entire room staff participates in the turnover
and setup of the next case — even anesthesia," says Denise Wooten,
ASN, RNFA, nurse manager of the Renue Surgery Center in Waycross,
Ga.
"Even the doctors are involved and will walk or wheel the patients
in and out of the OR while the rest of the team is turning over," says
Mary Radke, RN, BSN, manager of the Dakota Surgery and Laser
Center in Bismarck, N.D.
N O V E M B E R 2013 | O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
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