Patient Safety in the OR | Risks and Prevention

Course overview

This learning activity explores the critical role of evidence-based practice in reducing perioperative errors and ensuring patient safety in the operating room. It covers key topics such as: - Importance of evidence-based practice in mitigating common perioperative errors like surgical site infections, wrong-site surgeries, retained surgical items, and mislabeled specimens. - Prevention of hypothermia, hypoglycemia, and hyperglycemia during the perioperative period. - Components of an effective perioperative handover, including patient identification, surgical procedure details, medical history, intraoperative events, postoperative care plan, and multidisciplinary team involvement. - Current challenges and future implications, addressing issues like compliance with evidence-based practices, organizational culture, technological advancements, staffing concerns, and the need for continuous quality improvement and research. This learning activity aims to empower healthcare professionals with the knowledge and tools necessary to prioritize patient safety and deliver exceptional care in the complex operating room environment.