Critical thinking's role in perioperative patient safety outcomes

Despite education, training, tools, and standards, patient safety issues continue to be of concern when it comes to perioperative care. The problem of intraoperative injuries, therefore, may lie in perioperative nurses' implementation of safety measures that require critical thinking. This qualitative study lends insight into the critical thinking or decision-making processes of nurses who implement these perioperative safety measures. Findings from this data analysis have led to perioperative recommendations that may enhance patient safety outcomes.