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O U T P AT 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 | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4
P R E - O P S A F E T Y
T
he surgeon
may still be the
captain of the
ship in the OR, but like
captains at sea and in
the air, those who
encourage and wel-
come feedback from
their crews are the
least likely to make
mistakes. Easier said
than done?
For that dynamic to be in place, says Spence Byrum, an expert on high-
reliability organizations, not only do surgeons have to be willing to listen
and staff willing to speak up, but — and just as importantly — the team
needs to be trained in how to speak up.
"There are 4 critical elements in that assertive statement," says Mr.
Byrum. "First you need to get the person's attention. Then, as clearly as
possible you need to say what the problem is. Next, as clearly as possi-
ble, you need to articulate what you think the solution is. And finally, you
need to make sure whatever that solution is gets done."
Administrators, says Mr. Byrum, need to ensure that OR staff have the
training they need to be able to do that. "If people don't have that training
and we just hope they're going to come up with the right words at the
right time, that's not a reliable system and it's putting the patient at risk."
Surgeons, too, are likely to need strong encouragement in this area.
"Equally important is that the person on the receiving end needs to listen
VOICING CONCERNS
How People Speak Up Is as Important as What They Say
ATTENTION NEEDED OR staff need to
understand the 4 critical elements involved
in speaking up about perceived concerns.
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