Published December 12, 2024
Elizabeth Turner, RN, Operating Room, followed the usual pre-operative sign-in and time-out processes with a patient scheduled for surgery, including verifying that the patient consent was complete and accurate. As the surgeon announced the procedure documented on the consent, he said he also planned to remove a spinal stimulator. Turner stopped the line as removal was not documented on the consent, rendering it inaccurate. The surgeon noted that this portion of the procedure was documented elsewhere, but inadvertently omitted from the consent. The surgeon contacted the patient’s spouse for power of attorney to gain consent for the additional procedure and the surgery proceeded.
