Surgical staff observes 'Time Out' to highlight patient safety efforts

Published June 30, 2011
By Steve Pivnick
81st Medical Group Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The Keesler Hospital Operating Room staff observed National Time Out Day June 15, a day set aside to "encourage and commend the surgical team's commitment to patient safety protocols."

According to Maj. Mary Harvey, 81st Surgical Operations Squadron perioperative clinical nurse specialist, "Before the start of every surgical procedure, the surgical team - anesthesiologist, surgical technician, perioperative nurse or nurse circulator and surgeon - pause to confirm the patient, the surgical site and the procedure are all accurate. The pause is called 'Time Out' and, while the practice may seem like common sense to lay people, a recent report by The Joint Commission indicated errors such as wrong patient, wrong surgery site and wrong procedure were the third most frequent sentinel event in 2010."

Major Harvey continued, "The Keesler Hospital operating room staff celebrated National Safety Day to help remind its entire surgical team how vital 'Time Out' is to patient safety."

The Association of PeriOperative Nurses launched National Time Out Day in 2004 to prevent errors by ensuring all physicians, nurses and surgical technologists pause before all invasive procedures so they can communicate as a group and confirm key information about the patient and procedure.

"The Keesler Hospital operating room is dedicated to providing safe patient care," Major Harvey emphasized. "Before any procedure starts, a bell is sounded to grab everyone's attention. The entire surgical team pauses and verifies the correct patient, the correct surgical site and that any prescribed antibiotics have been administered. To mark National Time Out Day, surgical team members signed a commitment board to raise awareness and renew their commitment to 'Time Out' every patient, every time."

Col. (Dr.) Joseph Giovannini, 81st MSGS commander, created laminated "Time Out" boards for each operating room as reusable visual aids for the surgical staff.

Surgical staff observes ‘Time Out’ to highlight patient safety efforts