Prior to beginning a surgical procedure on a patient, the surgical team members stop performing activities and determine that the procedure is being done on the correct patient and the correct site. These members are practicing a:

Question

1. Surgical timeout.
2. Quality improvement initiative.
3. Handoff communication.
4. Joint Commission patient tracer.

Answer 1

Surgical time-out.

Rationale: Surgical timeout is an attempt to prevent wrong-site surgery and is done in response to the Joint Commission regulation in which all members of the surgical team are to stop performing activities and ensure that the procedure is being done on the right patient, the right surgery, the correct side/site, the correct patient position, and any additional information. The surgical team members are not participating in a quality improvement initiative, nor are they conducting a Joint Commission patient tracer. Handoff communication is done between the nurse anesthetist and operating room nurse with the postanesthesia care unit nurse.