Combo cases

[buckeyegirl917]

Hi everyone! Quick question about combo cases in which there are multiple surgeons and multiple procedures, like a mastectomy with immediate reconstruction.

Does your facility require both surgeons to physically see the patient before surgery, even if they have seen the patient in the last 24 hours?

Thanks!

Trish

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

As long as site marking is complete and H&P falls within the required time period/has been updated within the required time period, then no, as long as the patient is ok with moving into the OR. Confirmation that surgeons have physically arrived at the hospital is required though.

[OlivetheRN, ADN, BSN, RN]

For us, if it's a combo case with two surgeons from two different practices doing two unrelated surgeries, then yes, they both have to see and mark the patient pre-op and do the DOS H&P. Had one recently where one of the surgeons was scrubbed in assisting on a different case and he had to scrub out to come and talk to the patient and mark her so we could bring her to the OR. Then when it was time for him to do his part he had to drop out of that surgery again and come into our OR and he was in there for all of 15 minutes give or take.