Check Your GPS: Wrong site and wrong patient surgeries are some of the scariest mistakes that can occur in a hospital. Not only does the patient go through an unnecessary procedure that maims a working body part, but then they must endure surgery again on the correct site. No wonder hospitals get sued when this happens! While surgeons are the ones doing the actual operations, nurses can also be partially responsible for these errors. Most hospitals now have a system in place to prevent wrong site surgeries. However, it relies on everyone actually following the safety steps. Skip one, and mistakes happen.
Tip: Be a stickler about following the rules. Always double check the paperwork and the patient’s wristband (to make sure you have the right patient). If you are the OR nurse, be firm about calling the “time out” prior to the procedure to verify that everything is correct.
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