AORN Guideline Updates Focus on Counting, Communication to Prevent RSIs

Using a new evidence review model, AORN highlights key safety concerns, while one expert calls for more emphasis on human error.

Using a new evidence review model, updated guidelines released by one of the nation’s leading surgical associations underscore the importance of clear communication and strong counting procedures to prevent the occurrence of retained surgical items (RSI).

The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) released updates to its Guideline for Prevention of Retained Surgical Items effective January 15, 2016. The updated guidelines take the place of previous recommendations released in 2012.

Hospitals continue to struggle with RSIs. In January, The Joint Commission released a “Quick Safety” report building on its 2013 Sentinel Event Alert on unintended retained foreign objects (URFO). The Joint Commission reported that URFOs accounted for 115 of the sentinel events reported in 2015 and 112 in 2014, up from 102 in 2013.

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Safety Issues Dominate Joint Commission List of Most-Cited Standards of 2015

The Joint Commission’s latest list of most-cited standards was dominated by safety issues. Following a multi-year trend, eight of the top 10 cited standards came from the Environment of Care, Life Safety or Infection Control chapters, with most of them merely swapping places within the top 10. The standards are those most frequently found not … Continued

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EHR Copy and Paste Best Practices Toolkit Released

Copying and pasting information in EHRs is a common practice that can save busy physicians and other staff valuable time, but it can also introduce significant errors into the record. In an effort to help physicians make the most of the copy and paste function while protecting the integrity of the record, the Partnership for … Continued

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New 2017 National Patient Safety Goal Focuses on CAUTI Prevention

The Joint Commission today announced plans for a new National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) aimed at reducing catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). The prepublication standards for the NPSG are online and cover standards for accredited hospitals, critical access hospitals, and nursing care centers. The NPSG is intended to align CAUTI treatment and prevention with the … Continued

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FDA Proposes Ban on Most Powdered Surgical Gloves

On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed banning most powdered gloves in the U.S. While the use of these gloves is on the decline, the risks associated with them for both healthcare workers and patients, cannot be corrected through new or updated labeling, says the FDA. “This ban is about protecting patients … Continued

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AHIMA Seeks Public Support for National Patient ID

By John Commins, HealthLeaders Media Advocates for a voluntary patient safety identifier envision a process that would allow patients to create a way for medical systems to recognize them quickly and accurately, in much the same way as financial sector businesses. A leading trade group for the nation’s health information technology sector is asking patients … Continued

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Joint Commission Releases 2015 Sentinel Event Stats

Last week, The Joint Commission released its sentinel event statistics from 2015. Of the 936 sentinel events reported last year, the most common were unintended retention of a foreign body (116), wrong-site/wrong-side/wrong procedure surgery (111), falls (95), and suicides (95). The most common root causes of sentinel events last year were human factors (e.g., staff … Continued

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Alarm Management Compliance Shifts into Second Gear

In the second phase of The Joint Commission’s alarm management NPSG, hospitals aim to put policy into practice For the last two years, healthcare organizations have been working to comply with the first phase of The Joint Commission’s alarm management National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG). As of January 1, 2016, they’ll have to contend with … Continued

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