Module 4: Patient Safety in the OR

🎯 Module Objectives 

1. Discuss foundations of patient safety in healthcare.
2. Describe the concepts of risk and safety in the surgical realm.
3. Explain how individual and team factors influence patient outcomes in complex systems such as the OR.
4. List five of the most common patient safety risks.
5.  Describe how the use of systematic processes can mitigate risk.

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📖 Required Readings 

Clendinneng, D. (2020). Case study research on Nurses’ perceptions of various educational strategies for learning perioperative non-technical skills 
ORNAC Journal March 2020. pp. 12-23 

ORNAC standards 2021
Section 4 Introduction to Risk Management  
Section 4.7 – 4.41 (p. 381-392);  
Section 4.5.15 – 4.5.26 (p. 398-400) 
Section 4.71 – 4.96 (p. 408 – 412) 

ORNAC Standards 2023
Introduction (4-1)4.4- 4.10 (4-6)

Alexander’s care of the patient in surgery
16th Ed. Ch 2 and 3 p. 15-38 
17th Ed. Ch 2 and 3 p. 16-36 

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Introduction

The operating room is a complex setting where highly dedicated individuals endeavour to deliver the safest care possible. However, this environment is a place with inherent risk, so despite best intentions and efforts sometimes patient harm results from care that was intended to heal them. Statistically, the surgical department in a hospital is where one out of two patient safety incidents originate.