Stop the Line: Interventions to Prevent Retained Surgical Items.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Patient Safety
• Surgical Nursing

Background:

• Retained surgical items (RSIs) pose a significant risk to patient safety.
• Effective teamwork and adherence to policies are crucial for preventing RSIs.
• Identified practice gaps necessitated a targeted quality improvement initiative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance compliance with facility policies aimed at preventing RSIs.
• To improve teamwork skills among surgical teams to mitigate RSI risks.
• To reduce the incidence of retained surgical items through a structured intervention.

Main Methods:

• Implemented an evidence-based communication protocol and updated hospital policies.
• Introduced just-in-time job aids and facilitated leader support via daily huddles.
• Utilized the TeamSTEPPS Teamwork Attitudes Questionnaire to assess changes in staff attitudes.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated improved perceived teamwork attitude scores among staff.
• Achieved zero reports of actual retained surgical item events over a 7.5-week period.
• Observed increased compliance with daily huddle protocols and communication training completion.

Conclusions:

• The implemented quality improvement strategies effectively enhanced teamwork and communication.
• The project successfully eliminated retained surgical item events during the study period.
• This initiative highlights the importance of collaborative efforts and policy adherence in surgical safety.