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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 | S U P P L E M E N T T O 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
T
he surgeon has finished, the techs are cleaning up and the circulator
is wondering when the room will be ready. Careful — don't get
caught up in the momentum. Before attention shifts to the next
case, be certain no objects remain in the patient about to be
wheeled into recovery. Let's see what you know about preventing
retained foreign objects.
The most common retained
foreign objects (RFOs) are _______.
R E T A I N E D O B J E C T S
No Objects Left Behind
If preventing retained foreign objects is such a high
priority, why is it still being reported as a common
sentinel event? Chad Flora, BSN, RN, CNOR | Houston, Texas
QUIET, PLEASE Insist on total silence during counts, as distractions are
one of the leading reasons for a retained object in a surgical patient.