Count Procedures in OR - who does it?

[oneillk1]

Hi there

I am looking at how we do our surgical counts at my facility in New Zealand. We have two nurses circulating in OR and one of them does the count at the start of the procedure. Our current practice is that the same nurse must do the count at the end of the procedure too, regardless of whether they are in theatre. They may be called back from lunch for example. However any circulating nurse can add countable items (such as sutures or sponges). Can people tell me what their facility does and what is the best practice on this issue.

I get the feeling that we do it this way because that's how it's always been done.....not really a good enough reason!

Thanks in advance!:)

[BonnieG]

Ah Ferret.. you have no idea how enticing that is. I am spending a year with a computer build team to initiate e-health records into the OR. A new kind of stress, but not half as exciting as a good vascular case. Plus, I look out my window to 3 feet of accummulated snow, and more falling. And I am totally addicted to "Mcleod's Daughters". I tape them and watch on a saturday morning marathon, 5 episodes back to back. You have one beautiful country!

On to the OR: we always have physician anesthesia, our third nurse when we have one will assist with induction and lines, then leave them on their own. (as helpless as they sometimes are)

The third does thier best to get all the staff relieved, and like most places you do what you can to help, but with the current climate of budget/staffing shortages, tea can sometimes be late, non-existent, or included in lunch. Like nurses worldwide, we cope!

My funniest count story: A gen surgeon who liked to tuck a 4x4 sponge under his foot to freak out the newbies. Got to the point I would "Check his hooves" before I start the count. He told me I was no fun!

TTFN

[Ferret]

Ah Ferret.. you have no idea how enticing that is. I am spending a year with a computer build team to initiate e-health records into the OR. A new kind of stress, but not half as exciting as a good vascular case. Plus, I look out my window to 3 feet of accummulated snow, and more falling. And I am totally addicted to "Mcleod's Daughters". I tape them and watch on a saturday morning marathon, 5 episodes back to back. You have one beautiful country!

It's not all McLeod's daughters country, my wife loves the show as well. I just spent six months in Tasmania looking for a way out of the unrelenting heat, I love a bit of snow... which is a rare thing where I live. But yes, I have to agree with you, there are few places in the world I'd rather live.

On to the OR: we always have physician anesthesia, our third nurse when we have one will assist with induction and lines, then leave them on their own. (as helpless as they sometimes are)

The third does thier best to get all the staff relieved, and like most places you do what you can to help, but with the current climate of budget/staffing shortages, tea can sometimes be late, non-existent, or included in lunch. Like nurses worldwide, we cope!

Things are similar here, including the helpless anaethetists... and do I need to mention the short-staffing issues?

My funniest count story: A gen surgeon who liked to tuck a 4x4 sponge under his foot to freak out the newbies. Got to the point I would "Check his hooves" before I start the count. He told me I was no fun!

Classic. The amount of times I'd swear they were deliberately withholding...

Mine would be the Neuro Registrar who would wait until the final count was complete before asking for his last suture... I never close off my suture count now until the dressings start going on.

Ferret