[NRSKarenRN]

From: Health Forum

Can Your Nurses Stop a Surgeon?

With an ‘audacious’ attitude, leaders at Advocate Health Care have set out to create a culture of safety that permeates every level of the organization

[Sabby_NC]

Wow that was a very good article and would make me feel a whole lot safer facing surgery if there was a 'time out' period to check on vital information. Right patient Right procedure, right leg etc!

We had the unfortunate experience years ago where we stopped a surgeon from operating. We had the right patient, right side was checked etc but we did not expect our 'eminent' surgeon to turn up shickered!!!

[Marie_LPN]

One very EASY way to do this: the surgeon i'm working with does not get the scalpel until we have done the time out. If they gripe about it, TOO BAD.

[tutored]

I'm a final-semester nursing student, who witnessed an experienced RN shut down a resident who was doing an in-room cardiac catheterization WITHOUT sterile gown or hat, no mask, and just regular gloves ....the doc mouthed off to her about "I couldn't find a mask around here anywhere?"....I stood outside the patient's room and heard the RN shouting, "We do things sterile around here. We need to stop what we're doing, and start over!"....the doc did not stop, so she went to the ICU department, got the nurse manager, they both returned, and shut the doctor's procedure down...ordered PCTs and student nurses to retrieve all the necessary sterile items, and the attending cardiologist was paged. The attending arrived, looking disgusted, and supported the RNs action. The resident looked sheepish and embarassed. This was great for me to watch, from a student's perspective.

[NurseBranch]

As an employee of Advocate Health, I work as a CNA on a post surgical unit and I can tell you that we are very committed to doing the timeouts everytime. We do them 3 times, on the unit, in the holding area, and right before the procedure begins. There are always some dr.'s who think they are above the rules, but in the end, the timeouts are always performed. A red rule for advocate is a policy of doing something that either is done or a write up leading to termination is given. There are no room for errors with red rules at my facility. Thanks for sharing that article!

[canoehead]

From the article; "They also identified the top five causes of sentinel events: lack of critical thinking, inattention to detail, inadequate knowledge of established procedures, poor communication between caregivers, and noncompliance with policies."

They missed poor staffing.

[gonzo1]

In 1992 I was in the hospital for a knee surgery and they mixed me up with a lady having a breast removed. The only thing that saved my butt is that I kept demanding to talk to my surgeon before they put me out. They kept insisting that he would talk to me after the surgery.
I was on the operating table and screaming for my doc and someone finally realized that I was screaming for a different doc than the one they were operating with, looked at my wrist band, asked me who I was and realized they had the wrong pt on the table. Now I'm kinda sorry I screamed so loud. I wouln't have missed that boob at all and I would be a rich woman. Just kidding

[nurse gracie]

We peform timeouts for everything even bedisde procedures. Too bad if the doc doesn't like it. It is a JCAHO policy not just a hospital policy!

[MAISY, RN-ER]

Great article, thanks for sharing.

I think it is our responsibility as patient advocates to do whatever is necessary to ensure their safety. I've held meds, discharges, and have made residents suit up properly(sterile) for central line insertion. I am lucky to be in an environment where we are appreciated and even thanked for our intervention with patient safety.

Maisy