chart is flagged as well. When transported
to pre-op, staff confirm name, date of birth,
and that the procedure the patient signed
for is correct. After the doctor and nurse
complete pre-op tasks, the nurse checks
the patient's ID band and makes sure the
proper consent has been signed. Signs
placed on the patient's blanket to advise
the procedure room nurse, tech and doctor about special needs —
HOH (hard of hearing), dentures, weakness on right side, etc.; that
information is also on the patient's chart.
In the procedure room, the technician and nurse again check the
ID band. Once the doctor is ready to begin, a timeout is performed
to ensure the nurse, doctor and tech are in agreement that this is
the correct patient and the correct procedure. The patient is
asked about allergies at various points before the procedure.
• Fun while learning. Orchard Surgical Center in Salem, N.H.,
uses annual "skills fairs" as a creative and fun way to keep staff
engaged and knowledgeable on the latest in patient safety. Its
"Show and Tell" fair found each department taking 3 or 4 topics
and procedures and creating short, interactive, hands-on demon-
strations. "A Day in the Life of" found each department, including
front desk admissions, creating and performing a skit with the
help of the nurse manager; the skit followed a patient (played by a
staff member) throughout the perioperative day — from front
desk to pre-op to the OR and PACU — where a surprise code that
was played out. "What If" delved into unexpected situations — an
armed intruder, a code in the OR, a power outage, and a surgeon
5 0 • 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 9
• SHOW ME A SIGN Procedure room cli-
nicians are informed of patients' special
needs with signs placed on their blankets.
Centinela
Valley
Endoscopy
Center
