Opening an outpatient facility. Conducting a mock run

It was amazing how involved the nurses became in playing the roles. Throughout the entire mock run, they were cooperative, followed the rules of the game, and worked together as a team. The nurses were glad to have a chance to run through the various problems because it enabled them to become more comfortable with their new unit. The benefits of the mock run were realized by all involved. At the discussion group meetings, problems were identified and proposed solutions discussed. Also, a list of duties for opening the unit was developed. Some problems identified were not considered routine, such as: Where is the crash cart? Who takes the ECG (electrocardiogram)? Where are the narcotics kept? How does the new autoclave work? How and where is the patient discharged? Based on the discussion, educational needs were identified such as instructions on operating the autoclave and the new OR beds. Even in the final group discussion, many routine operational questions came up.