You are the circulating nurse caring for a patient undergoing a major abdominal procedure; an experienced perioperative EN is in the scrub role. The final count reveals that a sponge is missing. Outline the steps you would take, and provide rationales for your actions
What will be an ideal response?
Answer:
The ACORN Standard, management of accountable items used during surgery/procedures in the perioperative environment, provides a sound and logical approach to dealing with situations such as this.
Confirm that the instrument nurse has informed the surgeon of the missing sponge and asked the latter to search the abdomen.
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