involving patient
safety issues. "The
discussions were
team-building exer-
cises, but more
importantly they
increased the com-
fort level of everyone
involved to speak up
around their col-
leagues," says Ms. Smith.
Team full of leaders
One of the biggest lessons Ms. Smith has learned while keeping her
staff focused on patient safety is the importance of effective leadership
during emergencies. She says anesthesiologists or surgeons are expect-
ed to lead when the stakes are raised, but she's noticed that nurses and
techs are beginning to speak up with ideas and instructions to enhance
the center's response protocols and are becoming situational leaders in
emergency situations. "That speaks to the importance the facility has
placed on patient safety, that it's engrained in our culture and everyone
feels comfortable taking ownership in the process," she says.
— Daniel Cook
4 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 6
• SAFE START The surgical team uses the World Health Organization surgical safety checklist during
pre-op time outs 100% of the time.
The
Valley
Hospital
Awards Issue
