AORN journal
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Surgery is complex and technically demanding for all team members. Surgical checklists have been implemented with different degrees of success in the perioperative setting. ⋯ Key strategies for successful checklist implementation include establishing a multidisciplinary team to implement the checklist, involving surgeon leaders, pilot testing the checklist, incorporating feedback from team members to improve the process, recognizing and addressing barriers to implementation, and offering coaching and continuous feedback to team members who use the checklist. Using these strategies will give the perioperative nurse, department leaders, and surgeons the tools to implement a successful checklist.
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Communication breakdowns have been identified as a root cause of many medical errors. Sentinel events occurring in surgery comprise a significant number of these events. Despite the addition of briefings and debriefings in the OR and the introduction of crew resource management principles, communication problems continue to occur in the surgical setting. ⋯ A retired orthopedic surgeon conducted coaching that included all members of the perioperative team. The quality of both briefings and debriefings significantly improved after the coaching intervention. Analysis of the results of this study suggests that coaching should be considered as an intervention to improve communication during surgical procedures, especially during briefings and debriefings.
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Workforce safety is a precondition of patient safety, and safety from both physical and psychological harm in the workplace is the foundation for an environment in which joy and meaning can exist. Achieving joy and meaning in the workplace allows health care workers to continuously improve the care they provide. ⋯ Evidence suggests, however, that health care settings are rife with disrespectful behavior, poor teamwork, and unsafe working conditions. Solutions for addressing workplace safety problems include defining core values, tasking leaders to act as role models, and committing to becoming a high-reliability organization.