For Immediate Release
June 16, 2008
Denver—To encourage surgical teams to “take time out” before every operation to confirm correct patient, correct procedure, correct surgical site, and other important information to ensure patient safety, the
Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) is partnering with the
Council on Surgical and Perioperative Safety (CSPS) and
The Joint Commission to recognize National Time Out Day on June 18, 2008.
AORN began sponsoring National Time Out Day in 2004 to raise awareness about the importance of requiring the entire surgical team—including physicians, nurses and surgical technologists—to pause (take time out) before all invasive procedures to communicate as a group and confirm key information about the patient and procedure to help prevent errors from occurring.
The Joint Commission requires all accredited healthcare facilities to practice a time out as part of its Universal Protocol for Preventing Wrong Site, Wrong Procedure, Wrong Person SurgeryTM. “Despite the widespread adoption of healthcare professionals taking time out, surgical errors like wrong-site surgery are still frequently reported in the United States and many perioperative professionals report the lack of a consistent approach to the Universal Protocol and the involvement of all relevant members of the OR Team,” said Peter B. Angood, MD, vice president and Chief Patient Safety Officer for The Joint Commission.
“Just like a sports team huddles before a game to determine their game plan, OR teams need to take a time out before the procedure to review objectives, patient information, equipment readiness, supply availability and roles and responsibilities of each member of the team, said Jeffery Beutler, CRNA, MS, executive director of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) and chair of the Council on Surgical and Perioperative Safety (CSPS). “Surgical procedures performed under anesthesia are associated with the highest intensity level of care of any healthcare activity and necessitate the combined team effort of many highly competent individuals to be successful. By taking a time out, members of the perioperative team pause to ensure we are doing all that is necessary so our patients have the highest probability of experiencing the best possible outcomes.”
The CSPS is a multidisciplinary coalition of professional organizations whose members are involved in the hands-on care of surgical patients, including AANA, AORN, the American College of Surgeons, the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the Association of Surgical Technologists and the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses.
“By partnering with AORN on National Time Out Day, The Joint Commission and each CSPS member organization are demonstrating their dedication to the perioperative collaboration we hope to see among all OR teams,” said AORN Executive Director Linda Groah, RN, MSN, CNOR, CNAA, FAAN. Groah encourages perioperative professionals to recognize National Time Out Day by reminding every member of the surgical team how critical it is to take a time out for patient safety.
For a free downloadable poster and Correct Site Surgery Toolkit, visit the AORN website.
AORN, Inc., the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, represents approximately 40,000 Registered Nurses in the U.S. and abroad who facilitate the management, teaching and practice of perioperative nursing, or who are enrolled in nursing education or engaged in perioperative research. Its members also include perioperative nurses who work in related business and industry sectors. AORN’s mission is to support RNs in achieving optimal outcomes for patients undergoing operative and other invasive procedures. AORN promotes quality patient care by providing its members with education, standards, services and representation. For more information, visit aorn.org.
The Council on Surgical and Perioperative Safety (CSPS) is a multidisciplinary coalition of professional organizations whose members are involved in the care of surgical patients. The mission and vision of the CSPS is to promote a culture of patient safety with members of the surgical team working together to provide optimal patient care and a caring perioperative workplace environment. The seven member organizations include the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA), the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants (AASPA), the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), The American Society of Perianesthesia nurses (ASPAN), the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), and the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST). For more information, visit www.cspsteam.org.
Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of healthcare accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in healthcare organizations. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 15,000 healthcare organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 8,000 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,300 other healthcare organizations that provide long term care, assisted living, behavioral healthcare, laboratory and ambulatory care services. The Joint Commission also accredits health plans, integrated delivery networks, and other managed care entities. In addition, The Joint Commission provides certification of disease-specific care programs, primary stroke centers, and healthcare staffing services. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.
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