Five Steps To Prevent Operative Errors

Using abbreviations to name surgeries can lead to confusion because abbreviations can have multiple meanings and interpretations. This can result in miscommunication and potential errors in medical procedures. It is important to use clear and standardized terminology to ensure accurate understanding and safe practice in the medical field.

Patient identification using two patient identifiers is a critical component in ensuring correct patient identification and preventing medical errors. By requiring two separate identifiers, such as the patient's name and date of birth, healthcare providers can verify the patient's identity and reduce the risk of misidentifying patients. This practice helps to ensure that the right treatment is provided to the right patient, improving patient safety and preventing potentially harmful mistakes. Therefore, the statement is true.

The statement is true because a time out is a crucial step in the surgical process where the surgical team pauses before starting the procedure to verify important details such as the correct patient, correct surgery, correct site, and correct equipment. This final verification is done to prevent errors and ensure patient safety. By taking a moment to double-check these essential factors, the surgical team can minimize the risk of performing surgery on the wrong patient or performing the wrong procedure.

The question asks for the step that is not included in the five steps of preventing operative errors. The four other options, namely Time out, Pre-op verification, Site marking, and Sign out, are all well-known steps in preventing operative errors. However, financial counseling is not typically considered a step in preventing operative errors. It is more related to the financial aspects of the procedure rather than the actual prevention of errors during the operation. Therefore, financial counseling is the correct answer.

Having a patient's family member confirm the site is not a best practice for avoiding wrong site surgeries. The responsibility for verifying the correct site should lie with the surgical team, including the surgeon, nurses, and anesthesiologist. While involving the patient and their family in the surgical process is important, it is not their role to confirm the site. Relying on a family member's confirmation alone may not be reliable or consistent, and it is essential to have a standardized process involving the entire surgical team to ensure accuracy and patient safety.

All the above mentioned healthcare professionals are responsible for ensuring that all the pre-operative verifications are done. The surgeon should verify the patient's consent, medical history, and surgical site. The OT nurse should check the availability and sterility of surgical instruments and supplies. The anaesthetist should review the patient's medical condition and administer anesthesia. The ward nurse should ensure that the patient is prepared for surgery and all necessary documentation is complete. Therefore, all of these individuals play a role in ensuring that pre-operative verifications are completed.

During a time out, it is important that everyone stops their activities and focuses on the task at hand. This ensures that all members are present and attentive during the time out process. The nurse should initiate the time out and read out the questions to ensure that everyone is aware of the plan and any potential risks. All questions should be answered by the team to ensure clear communication and understanding. All members should be present in the operating room during the time out to ensure that everyone is on the same page and ready to proceed with the procedure. Therefore, others should not attend to their work while the nurse reads out the questions.

During a timeout, healthcare professionals typically check various factors to ensure patient safety. These include verifying the patient's identity using two identifiers (Name & NRIC), confirming the correct procedure, checking the availability of equipment, and ensuring blood availability if necessary. However, fasting is not typically checked during a timeout as it is usually assessed and managed separately, often before the procedure. Therefore, fasting is the correct answer as it is not checked during a timeout.

The statement that a black pen is used to mark on the skin is false. In surgical procedures, a surgical skin marker, which is typically a sterile, non-toxic ink pen specifically designed for marking on the skin, is used to mark the surgical site. The use of a black pen or any regular pen is not recommended as it may not be sterile or easily visible during the procedure.

Single organ surgeries do not require site marking because they involve operating on only one specific organ or area of the body. In these surgeries, the surgeon does not need to differentiate between left and right sides or multiple areas. Therefore, site marking is not necessary as there is no risk of confusion or error in identifying the correct surgical site.