Tag: Safety

PPSA develops practices to prevent wrong-site surgery events

Editor's Note Nearly one-quarter of more than 600 wrong-site surgery events reported to the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority (PPSA) since 2004 have involved wrong-site anesthesia blocks. Based on these findings, PPSA has developed evidence-based practices for preventing wrong-site surgery and wrong-site anesthesia blocks that complement the Joint Commission’s Universal Protocol.…

Read More

By: OR Manager
August 13, 2015
Share

Joint Commission: New, updated resources for preventing surgical fires

Editor's Note The Joint Commission has partnered with the Food & Drug Administration, Council for Surgical & Perioperative Safety, and others in the Preventing Surgical Fires Initiative, which has released new, updated resources for preventing surgical fires. These include: A presentation on “Preventing Surgical Fires and Burns in Healthcare Facilities”…

Read More

By: OR Manager
August 13, 2015
Share

New policies and practices suggested for avoiding RSIs

Studies have estimated the incidence of retained surgical items (RSIs) as one in 5,500 to one in 6,975 cases. In October 2013, The Joint Commission issued a Sentinel Event Alert on RSIs, and periodic reports in the media have raised the public’s awareness of this persistent problem. Effective policies, reliable…

Read More

By: OR Manager
January 15, 2015
Share

Reducing emergency surgical procedures could save $1 billion

New research shows that even a modest 10% reduction in the proportion of emergency surgical procedures for three common conditions could save nearly $1 billion over 10 years. The study also showed significantly lower rates of mortality and better outcomes among patients who had these procedures on an elective basis.…

Read More

By: OR Manager
January 15, 2015
Share

New curriculum aims to reduce hazards of energy devices in the OR

When it comes to patient safety in the OR, the risk of fire or other damage caused by surgical instruments is an area that deserves greater attention. Professional medical societies concerned about such risks have developed a multidisciplinary curriculum that addresses appropriate and safe use of energy devices in surgery…

Read More

By: OR Manager
January 15, 2015
Share

Editorial

Hospital safety scores released by the Leapfrog Group on April 29 show a 6.3% average improvement since 2012. Performance at almost a third of hospitals has improved at least 10% since 2012, but some hospitals’ scores have dropped. And with medical errors tied to more than 400,000 deaths per year…

Read More

By: OR Manager
May 12, 2014
Share

A steep price to pay: Fatigue compromises staff and patient safety

It’s not uncommon for nurses to work 3 12-hour shifts at 1 hospital and then work another 3 at a different hospital, yet anyone who works 12 hours is putting their patients in jeopardy, Sheryl A. Michelson, MS, RN-BC, said at the AORN Congress in March 2013. “This is not…

Read More

By: OR Manager
September 1, 2013
Share

Surviving a disaster: Nurses recall Moore's fierce tornado

It had been a busy morning in the OR at Moore Medical Center in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20. By 3 pm, the surgery patients had left the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and gone home. PACU nurses Debra Breshears, RN, and Barbra Barrow, RN, were getting ready to leave when…

Read More

By: OR Manager
August 1, 2013
Share

Boston hospitals supporting patients and staff in bombing aftermath

Just before 2:50 pm on April 15, 2 postanesthesia care nurses from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) crossed the Boston Marathon finish line. Their elation at finishing the race soon turned to fear when they heard the first of 2 explosions. They began searching for friends and family who…

Read More

By: OR Manager
June 1, 2013
Share

Adopting a 'no interruption zone' for patient safety

The time-out is called, but conversations are going on, and the staff is still assembling equipment. No one seems to be listening. Then during the case, the anesthesiologist has trouble hearing over the loud music and chatter. The circulating nurse needs confirmation on a specimen but can’t get the surgeon’s…

Read More

By: OR Manager
February 1, 2013
Share

Join our community

Learn More
Video Spotlight
Live chat by BoldChat