"Time out" for epidurals?

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Do any of you do a "time out" (similar to what is done in the OR) when you are placing a labor epidural? We just got notified that we are supposed to do this and IMHO it is neither necessary or what JCAHO intended.

Just curious...

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Yep we do em. For EVERY epidural and every surgery.

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Absolutely .. it's part of our Epidural flowsheet. :)

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Do any of you do a "time out" (similar to what is done in the OR) when you are placing a labor epidural? We just got notified that we are supposed to do this and IMHO it is neither necessary or what JCAHO intended.

Just curious...

We do not. JCAHO didn't seem to mind when they were here this summer. Truthfully, there's not much chance of confusion with a patient sitting at the edge of the bed yelling "I want my epidural".

Altalorraine

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Right patient, right pocedure, consent? Seems like exactly what JACHO wanted.

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One of our docs changed the time out into a little prayer at the beginning of each C-birth. So we start with something like "Dear Lord, please assist all of us to deliver the best care during the (primary/repeat) C-Section on Mary Doe, who is having the procedure because of (failure to progress/desires repeat/whatever). The chart is opened to the consent. He is VERY serious about the prayer, too, and the circ nurse asks everyone to bow their heads!

Anyway thanks for the info. We started time outs yesterday; not a big deal but still I think a little overkill... :rolleyes:

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