J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 6 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 1 1 9
A
n aware OR team member
calling to mind an
important drug
allergy or skin lesion?
That's good for patient
safety. An overzealous
OR team member con-
veying alarm over
something that, in real-
ity, has no clinical con-
sequence? That's unrea-
sonable. Don't let one
dissenting voice in the
OR team halt an excur-
sion to the OR. Here,
responsive leadership is
necessary to protect the
patient's best interests. Some examples:
• Body piercing. Just what are the risks of performing surgery on a
patient with a body piercing? It appears to be a nebulous zone. Some
well-intentioned staff will roadblock any surgery involving the use of
electrocautery when any body piercing is present. Take the young
woman who recently presented to our outpatient facility for a hip
arthroscopy. Her nose ring was firmly implanted in a nostril and not
readily removable. A vocal team member refused to allow the surgery
despite the anesthesia attending's consent. Not aware of any immedi-
Are We Going Overboard With Patient Safety?
Sometimes you have to overrule overprotective staff members.
Cutting Remarks
John D. Kelly IV, MD
• MOTHER HEN Is patient safety really being compro-
mised or are we sometimes guilty of overreacting?
