Perioperative, Operating Room and Surgical Nursing Commons^™

Improving First Case-On-Time Starts In The Operating Room By Implementing A Visual Patient Readiness Assessment Tool: A Pilot Quality Improvement Project, Xochitl I. Miranda-Khayat

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

Delays in first case on-time starts (FCOTS) impact operating room (OR) efficiency, causing compounding schedule delays. This quality improvement (QI) project implemented a visual readiness tool to standardize communication and increase FCOTS rates.

Background

The project was implemented in a 5-room OR in an academic teaching hospital in the Texas Medical Center.

Methodology

Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) guided continuous improvement and contextual factors evaluation. Following multidisciplinary education, the visual tool was implemented. De-identified FCOTS data was extracted from the electronic health record (EHR). Qualitative feedback was gathered via Qualtrics (n=17 pre-implementation) and …

Operating Room Acquired Pressure Injury Prevention, Audrey E. Dillon, Lexi K. Johnston, Grace L. Johnston, Amy N. Cochran

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Our change project focuses on preventing pressure injuries in OR patients using an alternating pressure overlay and gel pad system during surgery and recovery. Pressure injuries cost the healthcare system upwards of $26 billion annually, and surgery patients are at high risk due to prolonged immobility, constant pressure on one area, hemodynamic changes, and excessive moisture. Nurses can play a critical role in reducing healthcare costs and improving patient outcomes by utilizing proper training and outcome tracking. The estimated cost of implementing this system is $37,000, significantly lower than the long-term cost of pressure injuries. Key
stakeholders include nurse managers, …

Smoke Evacuation In The Operating Room, Meghan Holley, Mckenzie Moon

Nurse Residency

In perioperative staff, does mandating the use of smoke evacuation in the surgical setting compared to no smoke evacuation decrease the amount of exposure to toxic byproducts found in surgical plume for each surgical case?

Power Safety Plan Checklist As An Intervention In The Operating Room, Scott John Fankhauser

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

Power Safety Plan Checklist as an Intervention in the Operating Room

Scott J. Fankhauser

Background: Intraoperative power failures (IOPF) force anesthesia providers to quickly make decisions to prevent patient harm when equipment does not operate as designed. Familiarity with alternative methods is critical during this decision process to deliver high-quality care during IOPF events. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to assess the impact of a checklist on anesthesia providers’ perceptions regarding continuation of care during an IOPF. Interventions: Pre- and post-intervention surveys were conducted during a simulation and education setting for annual competencies. Methods: The study …

A Quality Improvement Initiative To Redefine The Process Of Instrument Decontamination From The Surgical Field In The Operating Room To The Sterile Processing Department., Nicole Dannett Denton

Master's Theses and Capstones

Background: The Operating Room (OR) faces a significant challenge with the increasing presence of bioburdens on instruments. Research-based on evidence has demonstrated the critical role of precleaning at the point of care with sterile water in reducing bioburden incidence. While current practices recommend the use of an enzymatic solution post-procedure to spray instruments, it is clear that a more comprehensive approach is needed to effectively manage bioburdens and reduce the risk of Surgical Site Infections (SSI).

Methods: Utilizing the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model to create a Quality Improvement (QI) solution, the project leader recommended using sterile water at the point of …

Surgical Site Infections: Reducing Excessive Foot Traffic In The Surgical Room To Minimize The Risk Of Surgical Site Infections, Christopher D. Pobre

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: In 2021, a perioperative unit experienced 21 different surgical site infections (SSIs). SSIs are associated with increased medical complications and financial costs. One risk factor for SSIs is the increased or excessive operating room (OR) foot traffic, which increases airborne contaminants within the OR.

Context: A seven-room operating department performing 5,800 surgical procedures annually. The unit specializes in general, elective, and emergent procedures for the adult population predominately in the East Bay Area. A diverse mix of surgical procedures was observed throughout this project.

Assessment: A microsystem assessment was conducted to determine the causes and patterns that lead to …

Huddle Implementation In The Perioperative Setting, Tina Thomas

DNP Projects

Background: Communication is essential for safe and effective patient care. In the perioperative setting, information sharing is critical to care coordination. Lack of communication between caregivers can lead to medical errors. Evidence shows that huddles lead to increased communication, satisfaction, and engagement between team members resulting in better patient outcomes. Huddles are short, less than 10-minute gatherings that focus on the daily schedule, identify potential obstacles, explain unique needs, and discuss preceding day issues.

Objectives: This project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of huddles on employee satisfaction, engagement, and communication of healthcare workers while also determining if huddles were …

Post Operative Handoff Tool Benchmark Project, Savannah E. Vinson

MSN Capstone Projects

According to a sentinel event statement issued by The Joint Commission in 2017, inadequate hand-off communication is responsible for many adverse-events, including sentinel events in healthcare. A study released in 2016 estimated that communication failures in U.S. hospitals and medical practices were responsible at least in part for 30 percent of all malpractice claims, resulting in 1,744 deaths and $1.7 billion in malpractice costs over five years(The Joint Commission [TJC], 2017). Successful handoff communication has the potential to substantially improve patient safety when leadership displays their commitment to successful handoff, when handoff is standardized and done face-to-face between healthcare providers, …

Teamstepps In A Pediatric Operating Room, Lisa Kerrick

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Despite numerous patient safety and quality programs available and in use in the healthcare environment, adverse events in operating rooms continue to occur. The operating room is a complex and chaotic environment where teamwork is necessary for safe patient care. Team training is a strategy that improves teamwork. TeamSTEPPS is an evidence-based team training program designed to integrate teamwork into clinical practice. This project aims to determine if TeamSTEPPS communication tools and strategies improve the perception of teamwork and efficiency in a pediatric operating room. The outcome objectives for this project are to increase the perception of teamwork and improve …