SURGICAL COUNTING: A PERIOPERATIVE NURSE'S PERSPECTIVE

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Surgical Safety

Background:

• Perioperative nursing requires adherence to strict protocols for patient safety.
• Accurate management of accountable items during surgery is critical to prevent retained surgical items.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the Australian College of Perioperative Nurses (ACORN) standards for surgical counts.
• To provide perioperative nurses with a clear process for managing accountable items during surgical procedures.

Main Methods:

• Adherence to the ACORN standard 'Management of accountable items used during surgery and procedures' (ACORN 2016).
• Implementation of a standardized surgical counting process by perioperative nurses.

Main Results:

• Standardized process for perioperative nurses undertaking surgical counts.
• Clear guidelines for the management of accountable items during surgical procedures.

Conclusions:

• The ACORN standards provide essential guidance for perioperative nurses.
• Effective implementation of these standards enhances patient safety during surgical procedures.