Study Reveals Variability in Surgical Count Policies and Practices

Operating room leaders and staff may need to re-work surgical count policies in order to prevent variation in surgical count practices and the incidence of retained surgical items, according to research published in the AORN Journal.

For their study, researchers analyzed 20 surgical count policies from hospitals across the country and conducted a review of count practices among nurses and surgical technologists at one large urban facility.

 



Their analysis revealed actual clinical practice policies varied significantly. Perhaps most notably, the researchers found great variability in practice among hospital personnel.

Related Articles on Retained Objects:

Medical Errors at Minnesota Hospitals, Ambulatory Centers Increased in 2011

North Florida Regional Surgeon Disciplined for Retained Foreign Object Case in 2010

Indiana Hospitals Report 107 Adverse Events in 2010

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