Importance of Safety
Safety for oneself or others is of utmost importance in any environment. As a student starting nursing school in the fall and planning on becoming a trauma nurse in the military, the topic of safety is number one priority. My mother told me of a situation when the lack of communication contributed to a patient falling off an operating room table, onto the operating room nurse, and then onto the floor. Thankfully the patient was not injured, but the nurse was and resulted in four months of disability and physical therapy. My mom was explaining to me the safety procedures in an operating room and the sequence of events that led to this incident, and it inspired me to research ways in which this could have been avoided.
Safety starts at the time of scheduling the surgery to the use of equipment. I believe building a “culture of safety” includes compliance and teamwork. Out of all the information I read, the two areas that should have been in place to prevent injury was the use of clear communication and having the appropriate education to perform in a safe environment. Clear communication, regardless of the situation creates a calmer environment, which leads to improved patient and employee safety. Speaking clearly and communicating effectively with each of one’s team members would have prevented this potentially disastrous event. Prior to moving the patient, all team members must be aware of what is going to occur. In this situation, the nurse did not hear the technician or the anesthesiologist state they were transferring the patient because
