Oops, I Wish I Hadn’t Done That – Part 1

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We all wish we could press the “redo” button from time to time in our lives. Avoiding and managing complications in the world of minimally invasive surgery is not quite as simple. Factors affecting the likelihood and impact of complications include the following:

  • Preparation
  • Surgical technique
  • Continual risk assessment
  • Follow-up care
  • Early recognition
  • Patient care team

This month we’ll start with the all-important patient care team.

First, let’s identify the teammates:

  • Office staff (nurse, scheduler, phone contact)
  • Pre-op nursing
  • Service coordinator in operating room (oversees equipment, personnel, and more)
  • Surgical assistant
  • Anesthesia
  • Commercial equipment representative
  • Recovery room nursing
  • Hospital floor nursing

A successful leader always respects and effectively communicates with the team. Encouraging the opinion of every team member is the best way to provide a patient “safety net.” This level of respect also serves to raise everyone’s quality of professionalism and performance. The patient care team is like an orchestra. As the “conductor” of the “operative symphony”, setting a great tone is far better than raising the volume.