Proper handling of specimens is crucial for patient safety. What is the most serious negative outcome that could occur as a result of the loss, mislabeling or mishandling of a surgical specimen?

Proper handling of specimens is crucial for patient safety. What is the most serious negative outcome that could occur as a result of the loss, mislabeling or mishandling of a surgical specimen?

Multiple studies have found that IQA occurs in a small percentage of patients undergoing general anesthesia. Which high risk populations have more incidence of IQA?

A 325-pound male is undergoing a 6-hour abdominal surgery. While asleep and intubated, the surgeon requests the patient to be placed in lithotomy position for a sigmoidoscopy before the open procedure. The team of five nonscrubbed persons lifts the patient with the lift sheet, slides the patient down toward the foot of the OR bed, and places him into position. After the sigmoidoscopy, the perioperative nurse has the team roll the patient to his side for a skin assessment of his back before he is repositioned supine. What injury is the perioperative nurse concerned that she might see?

While tucking the arms at the sides of the patient in supine position offers comfort, safety, and easy access to the patient by the scrubbed team, improper positioning and securing of the arms can result in significant injury. Injury can be avoided by tucking the draw sheet ___ the arm and under the ___.

An older surgeon explains his justification for his suture choice to the new perioperative nurse in the scrub role. He prefers to suture his intestinal anastomosis with a suture that has multiple filaments braided together because it ties well and holds the knot, which tightens when the thread absorbs the tissue fluids. He also needs a strand that is easy to see and only needs to retain its tensile strength for about 1 year, at which time the intestinal junction will be healed, even though this suture is considered nonabsorbable. He will ask the nurse for a 24-inch 4-0: