Y
ou might be able to walk and chew gum at the same time,
but don't try to remember and count at the same time.
Can't be done. At least not well. Our brains aren't wired to
remember that there were 20 sponges while you're count-
ing 14, 15, 16 suture needles. You'll easily get crossed up if
you simultaneously summon the powers of memory and enumeration.
A U G U S T 2 0 1 6 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 6 1
Studies on the psychology of counting helped shape AORN's
updated prevention guideline. Dan O'Connor | Editor-in-Chief
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
• DON'T MULTITASK
Record one count
before starting the next.
Download the key take-
aways of AORN's
updated Guideline for
Prevention of Retained
Surgical Items at
osmag.net/KRkGa4.
A New Way to Think About
Retained Items
