4 2 S U P P L E M E N T T O O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7
W
hat
does
it
feel
like
to be connected to a case
that results in a retained
surgical item? It can rock
a nurse to the core.
A couple of years ago, I
sent an email to about 150
surgical nurses in my hos-
pital. I said, If you've ever
been involved in a
retained-item event and
are willing to talk about
it, I'd like to hear from
you.
More than 20 nurses
came forward with sto-
ries, many based on expe-
riences elsewhere. The
words they used were
heartbreaking. Even if the event had nothing to
The Horror and Heartbreak
Of a Retained Object
Nurses with firsthand experience
of retained surgical items carry deep emotional scars.
Denice Morrison, RN, MSN, CNOR | Kansas City, Mo.
FULL COUNT Retained objects should never hap-
pen, but prevention requires time and attention.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR