Normal practice or unsafe practice?

[UscGhost]

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I agree with you, I've never heard of a case like this, but everyone seems to be focused on if going to the bathroom is more "defensible" than going to the pyxis. My argument is that the reason does not matter, you left the OR, a malpractice lawyer will eat you alive if something did happen.

It is less defensible than pyxis for sure...

But the idea that a case is going well, and then suddenly during the 30 seconds that you were gone... something goes wrong (not sure what that realistically could be)...

AND it somehow gets blamed on you (when it's far more likely to be surgical)..

AND the case goes to malpractice (most docs only experience that 1-3 times in a career)

AND they somehow manage to blame the complication on your 30 second absence (would be a big stretch in terms of pathophysiology)

Thats a very very very low probability in reality

 

[Hoya11]

The past 10 years I've been practicing (including residency) it's been perfectly acceptable for me to run out of the room to grab meds that aren't stocked in the OR Pyxis, from the central Pyxis (albumin, precedex, ketamine, calcium). Recently someone thought it was unsafe and complained. Among my inner circle of colleagues it seems to be a regular, safe and accepted practice as long as you let the circulator (busy) know, and are close by. Obviously at the right time, stable patient, no risky parts of the procedure. What is your opinion?

In all of the locations that I have worked, stepping out of the room with a sleeping patient would be ok for a RARE issue. I think I have stepped out maybe twice in ten years for situations like no one available for urgent bathroom break, or quick exchange of something in the hallway or another room. It would not be acceptable routinely. Is it unsafe? No. But it would raise eyebrows where I work also if it was happening routinely - no big deal im in the hallway or at the pyxis and the patient is asleep.

 

[GaseousClay]

lol to the 14 people who think it’s unsafe to go 10 seconds away

 

[Guillemot]

The past 10 years I've been practicing (including residency) it's been perfectly acceptable for me to run out of the room to grab meds that aren't stocked in the OR Pyxis, from the central Pyxis (albumin, precedex, ketamine, calcium). Recently someone thought it was unsafe and complained. Among my inner circle of colleagues it seems to be a regular, safe and accepted practice as long as you let the circulator (busy) know, and are close by. Obviously at the right time, stable patient, no risky parts of the procedure. What is your opinion?

I don’t think its unsafe, but I generally don't do it either as it still represents a theoretical liability.,

 

[Twiggidy]

Do things but maintain a certain level of "chill" and this is also where it helps to be on good terms with your OR staff. By maintaining chill, I mean, "Guys things are stable I need to grab this drug real quick." or "Guys things are stable I need to hit the head for like 30 secs". The bathroom seems to be the big topic and I maintain this, what's worse, that i leave for max 1 minute for relief or cause any number of messy situations in the OR that likely gets your fired or in todays world accused of something worse.

For drugs, I may stick with circulators fetching the drug because even if it means you need something immediately that actually may justify you not leaving the OR.

 

[Ready_User_1]

I'm pretty sure the nursing and OR staff at my hospital would have me fired if I stepped out of the room before the case was over.

 

[coffeebythelake]

I'm pretty sure the nursing and OR staff at my hospital would have me fired if I stepped out of the room before the case was over.

Where do you work? Will avoid

 

[UscGhost]

I'm pretty sure the nursing and OR staff at my hospital would have me fired if I stepped out of the room before the case was over.

Sounds like a miserable culture

 

[jon stewart]

What about when the they have tehcinal
Problems with scope monitors for a 1hr and the patient is under ga the whole time with nothing happening …they claim to have “checked” everything before the case. Happened several times. Nothing seems to get done despite mentioning a report. Same faulty equipment back into circulation after being “fixed”