8 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
have to say those words
and show remorse.
Stress to the patient and his family that you'll learn
from the error and make sure this doesn't happen to
other patients.
Thankfully, a relative gave the surgeon the OK to
proceed. We marked, prepped and draped the cor-
rect leg, and conducted a focused time out during
which all activity ceased and everyone — anesthe-
sia, scrub, circulator — gave their undivided atten-
tion to the patient on the table and kept their eyes
on the person leading the timeout (usually the circu-
lator, sometimes the surgeon).
Are your OR team members actively engaged in
the time out? Do they verbalize that they agree that
this is the patient, that this is the planned procedure
and that this is the implant you'll need for this case?
It makes such a difference in the room when every-
one's paying attention and encouraged to speak up if
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• Meets Joint Commission's
Marking Universal Protocol
• The gold standard in correct site
marking
P
MARKING THE SITE The surgeon should
only write "yes" or his initials to mark the
site over, or as close as possible to, the
incision site.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR
