dents agree that staff members generally feel
comfortable speaking up when they sense
that something might compromise safety, but
many admit they sometimes hesitate — espe-
cially in the presence of a surgeon they're
intimidated by. "Physician egos and tempers
can be a roadblock," says a pre-op and PACU
supervisor. "There's a fear of retaliation in the
form of a cold shoulder."
"Team members are much more comfort-
able speaking up with peers and nurses, and
less so with physicians," says Anthony Polito,
RN, BSN, a director of perioperative services
from Buffalo, N.Y.
Maybe it should work the other way. Jeffrey
Blank, DPM, an Illinois surgeon, says employ-
ees should pay a price for not raising their
voices. "Our staff is trained to always speak
up if something is not right," he says. "They
all know they'll be reprimanded if they don't
speak up."
Cutting corners?
The need for speed is another area that care-
givers see differently. "The administration is
more concerned with rapid turnover times
than ensuring proper cleaning and prepara-
tion between cases," says a Florida nurse. "I
frequently hear that we have a culture of
'hurry up, don't make the surgeon wait,'"
J U N E 2 0 1 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 4 7
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