Surgical Count Basics
What is the primary purpose of a surgical count?
What is to prevent retained surgical items and promote patient safety?
When is the initial surgical count completed?
What is before the surgical incision?
What tool is used in every OR to track counts?
What is the standardized dry erase count board?
What should happen immediately if a count is incorrect?
What is notify the surgeon and stop wound closure?
What is the goal of Universal Protocol?
What is preventing wrong patient, wrong site, and wrong procedure surgery?
What is the primary outcome surgical counts are designed to achieve for the patient?
What is prevention of retained items and promotion of patient safety?
A count performed before closing a cavity within a cavity is called what?
What is a subsequent count?
Why must counts follow the same sequence every time?
What is to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and continuity?
Who must cooperate if a count is suspected to be inaccurate?
Who is every team member?
When must the time-out occur?
What is immediately before incision?
Who is responsible for performing surgical counts?
Who are the scrub tech and circulating RN?
When must counts be done related to staff relief?
What is at permanent relief of the scrub and/or circulator?
How are lap sponges updated on the count board?
What is the 5-5-5 method?
What imaging is obtained if a missing item is not found?
What is a portable x-ray?
Who typically initiates the time-out?
Who is the RN circulator?
All counted items should be counted how?
What is audibly, concurrently, and with direct visualization?
Which counts are required for MIS procedures?
What are initial, closing, and final sponge and sharps counts?
What must never leave the OR during a procedure?
What are counted items, linen bags, and waste containers?
What is required when both the primary scrub and/or circulator are permanently relieved during a procedure?
What is a complete surgical count performed by incoming staff prior to relief of outgoing staff?
What must happen if any team member has a concern during the time-out?
What is the procedure does not proceed until resolved?
What must happen if counts are omitted due to an extreme emergency?
What is a portable x-ray taken and read by a radiologist?
At the end of the procedure, the surgeon asks if the counts are correct before leaving the room. What must the circulating RN do at this point?
What is verbally announce the final outcome of the closing and final counts?
What should be minimized during counts?
What are distractions, noise, and unnecessary interruptions?
What documentation is required after an incorrect count?
What is documentation in the EMR and completion of an incident report?
Name one element of the post-procedure debrief.
What is confirmation of procedure, counts, specimen handling, equipment issues, or recovery concerns?