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Search results for "Active Errors"

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Journal Article > Commentary

Enhanced time out: an improved communication process.

Nelson PE. AORN J. 2017;105:564-570.

The Universal Protocol requires hospitals to adopt time outs as a strategy to prevent wrong-site surgeries. This commentary describes how one organization combined elements of time outs and the surgical safety checklist to augment communication and teamwork in surgical settings. Implementation of the enhanced time out involved targeted education and clarity around surgical roles and responsibilities.

Journal Article > Study

Association of a surgical task during training with team skill acquisition among surgical residents: the missing piece in multidisciplinary team training.

Sparks JL, Crouch DL, Sobba K, et al. JAMA Surg. 2017 May 24; [Epub ahead of print].

Multiple studies have linked poor teamwork and communication to adverse events in the operating room. There is a growing recognition that surgeons must learn these nontechnical skills during training in addition to the traditional focus on technical ability. In this controlled study, surgical residents participated in an educational intervention (a simulated surgical emergency) that simultaneously targeted technical and nontechnical skill development. The study used two different types of simulation—high fidelity (a cadaver) and medium fidelity (an anatomically correct mannequin)—compared to a control group, which used a nonanatomic simulator. Investigators found that nontechnical skills improved in both intervention groups compared to the control group, measured using validated teamwork assessments. As the accompanying editorial notes, the study findings indicate that technical and nontechnical skills may be best taught together, as teamwork skills improved when residents also had to perform a simulated surgical task simultaneously.

Journal Article > Study

Frequency and type of situational awareness errors contributing to death and brain damage: a closed claims analysis.

Schulz CM, Burden A, Posner KL, et al. Anesthesiology. 2017 May 1; [Epub ahead of print].

Failure to maintain situational awareness can adversely impact patient safety. In this closed claims analysis of anesthesia malpractice claims for death or brain damage, researchers found that situational awareness errors on the part of the anesthesiologist contributed to death or brain damage in 74% of claims.

Journal Article > Study

We are going to name names and call you out! Improving the team in the academic operating room environment.

Bodor R, Nguyen BJ, Broder K. Ann Plast Surg. 2017;78(suppl 4):S222-S224.

This study of operating room teams found that nursing staff, attending surgeons, and anesthesiologists did not always know the name or postgraduate year rank of trainees participating in surgery with them. The authors describe this lack of familiarity with team members as a knowledge gap that has the potential to affect surgical safety.

Journal Article > Commentary

Learning and mindfulness: improving perioperative patient safety.

Graling PR, Sanchez JA. AORN J. 2017;105:317-321.

The surgical environment is complex, and strategies to address human error and learn from mistakes are important to improve safety in this setting. This commentary discusses how organizational learning and mindfulness can help perioperative staff manage and prevent missteps in the operating room.

Journal Article > Study

Use of unsolicited patient observations to identify surgeons with increased risk for postoperative complications.

  • Classic

Cooper WO, Guillamondegui O, Hines OJ, et al. JAMA Surg. 2017;152:522-529.

Most patient safety problems can be ascribed to underlying systems failures, but issues with individual clinicians play a role as well. Prior studies have shown that a small proportion of physicians account for a disproportionate share of patient complaints and malpractice lawsuits. This retrospective cohort study used data from the Patient Advocacy Reporting System (which collects unsolicited patient concerns) and the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program to examine the association between patient complaints and surgical adverse events. The investigators found that patients of surgeons who had received unsolicited patient concerns via the reporting system were at increased risk of postoperative complications and hospital readmission after surgery. Although the absolute increase in complication rates was relatively small across all surgeons, surgeons in the highest quartile of unsolicited observations had an approximately 14% higher risk of complications compared to surgeons in the lowest quartile. This study extends upon prior research by demonstrating an association between patient concerns about individual clinicians and clinical adverse events, and it strengthens the argument for using data on patient concerns to identify and address problem clinicians before patients are harmed.

Newspaper/Magazine Article

A lost voice.

Baker M. Seattle Times. February 10, 2017.

Reporting on an incident involving a patient who died after a surgery, this news article discusses potential contributing factors in the incident such as concurrent surgeries and failure to consider patient and family concerns. A past WebM&M commentary highlighted the importance of listening to families when they advocate for patients in the hospital.

Journal Article > Commentary

Management of a patient with a latex allergy.

Minami CA, Barnard C, Bilimoria KY. JAMA. 2017;317:309-310.

This case analysis discusses the use of a latex catheter in a patient with a known latex allergy and presents how root cause analysis identified factors that contributed to the error. Recommended corrective actions included educating staff about latex allergies and using a checklist to address communication, documentation, and process weaknesses.

Newspaper/Magazine Article

Accidental IV infusion of heparinized irrigation in the OR.

ISMP Medication Safety Alert! Acute Care Edition. December 1, 2016;21:1-3.

Accidental administration of irrigation solutions are a wrong-route error that can result in harm. This newsletter article reviews factors that contribute to these incidents in the operating room, such as unlabeled solutions, look-alike labeling, and line connection issues. Recommendations to reduce risks include communicating during transitions, safe storage, and immediate labeling.

Book/Report

Safer delivery of surgical services: a programme of controlled before-and-after intervention studies with pre-planned pooled data analysis.

McCulloch P, Morgan L, Flynn L, et al. Health Services and Delivery Research. Southampton, UK: NIHR Journals Library; 2016.

This publication reports five British hospitals' experiences with teamwork interventions in surgical teams. Although teamwork training alone improved how teams functioned, it did not always enhance clinical performance. The investigators found that integrated training that combines technical and social improvements, such as Lean, resulted in more effective improvements.

Book/Report

Global Guidelines on the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection.

Allegranzi B, Bischoff P, de Jonge S, et al; WHO Guidelines Development Group. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2016. ISBN: 9789241549882.

Efforts to reduce surgical site infections have achieved some success. The World Health Organization has taken a leading role in eliminating health care–associated harms and has compiled guidelines to address factors that contribute to surgical site infections in preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care. The document includes recommendations for improvement informed by the latest evidence.

Journal Article > Study

Intraoperative adverse events in abdominal surgery: what happens in the operating room does not stay in the operating room.

Bohnen JD, Mavros MN, Ramly EP, et al. Ann Surg. 2017;265:1119-1125.

Intraoperative adverse events have been shown to increase the risk of hospital readmission. In this study, investigators found that intraoperative adverse events during abdominal surgery were associated with increased postoperative mortality, morbidity, and length of stay.

Newspaper/Magazine Article

More than half a million heart surgery patients at risk of a dangerous infection.

Sun LH. The Washington Post. October 13, 2016.

Medical devices can contribute to the spread of health care–associated infections. This news article discusses a government report that raises concerns that patients may have been exposed to a deadly bacterial infection related to an essential piece of equipment used in cardiac surgery worldwide. The resulting infection can be difficult to diagnosis as symptoms may remain dormant for months after the initial exposure.

Journal Article > Review

Factors influencing patient safety during postoperative handover.

Rose M, Newman SD. AANA J. 2016;84:329-338.

Patient handoffs between care teams are vulnerable to error. This scoping review explored the literature to identify factors that affect the safety of handoffs from anesthesia providers to the postanesthesia care unit. Individual communication styles, team dynamics, and policy were described as elements that influence information transfers. A past PSNet perspective discussed the importance of safe inpatient handovers.

Newspaper/Magazine Article

When doctors get the wrong patient.

Whitman E. Mod Healthc. September 25, 2016.

Misidentification of patients can result in problems such as medication administration delays, blood transfusion mismatches, and wrong-patient surgery. This magazine article reviews recent research on this issue and suggests several system approaches for improvement, including the use of patient photos in electronic health records and standardizing patient identification processes.

Book/Report

Avoiding Unconscious Bias: a Guide for Surgeons.

London, UK: Royal College of Surgeons of England; 2016.

Biases can affect decision making and behaviors toward colleagues and patients. This guidance provides information for surgeons to help them identify individual and organizational biases and to address disrespectful behaviors through training and peer support mechanisms.

Cases & Commentaries

Getting the (Right) Doctor, Right Away

  • Web M&M

Kiran Gupta, MD, MPH, and Raman Khanna, MD; July/August 2016

A woman with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease underwent hip surgery and experienced shortness of breath postoperatively. A chest radiograph showed a pneumothorax, but the radiologist was unable to locate the first call physician to page about this critical finding.

Journal Article > Commentary

Guideline implementation: prevention of retained surgical items.

Fencl JL. AORN J. 2016;104:37-48.

Although incidents involving retained surgical items are rare, they continue to occur. This commentary reviews guidance for perioperative nurses to reduce risks of this sentinel event. The author outlines steps to improve safety such as team accountability, standardized surgical sponge counts, and reconciling count discrepancies.

Journal Article > Commentary

An innovative approach to the surgical time out: a patient-focused model.

Kozusko SD, Elkwood L, Gaynor D, Chagares SA. AORN J. 2016;103:617-622.

The surgical time out has been advocated globally as a strategy to improve team communication and reduce errors. This commentary discusses the development of a checklist for use before, during, and after surgery that engages patients and families in the process. The authors review the results of the program since its inception in 2011 which includes no incidents of wrong-site surgeries.

Journal Article > Commentary

Driving surgical quality using operative video.

O'Mahoney PRA, Yeo HL, Lange MM, Milsom JW. Surg Innov. 2016;23:337-340.

Although using video documentation while providing care is controversial, it has been shown to contribute to error and near miss analysis. This commentary describes how utilizing videos in operating rooms can enhance patient safety and clinician accountability.

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