We use the
TeamStepps scheme, which I fully admit, the first time I was exposed to it, I thought was the absolute evil epitome of useless clipboard-commando nurses run amok with checklists and JC/CMS catch phrases. These preop team briefs are mandatory here.
The usual format, in practice, is that the surgeons give a very brief presentation of each patient along with any unusual concerns they have, including any special instruments, sutures, implants, tissue products, or whatever else they want or need. The scrub techs and periop RNs confirm that they have the usual stuff or special things to do the case, per the surgeon's preference card. Postop destination and bed availability is confirmed. The anesthesiologists bring up any concerns they have and note if and how it will change their plans (lines, atypical regional, need for monitored bed postop, etc).
It sounds tedious and silly, and one would think that all of the above would be hashed out well before day of surgery. But in reality a lot of little things slip through the cracks, and the team brief thing actually works well in practice. Usually amounts to less than a minute per patient, unless we're doing something unusual or complex.
It tends to be the most useful for same-day add-on cases. It also has the pleasant side effect of guaranteeing that the surgeons are actually physically in the $*@(! hospital when we're ready to take the patient to the OR.
Things still fall through the cracks, but it's rarer for them to be big things now. In the last couple months, the only big screwup I can think of (anesthesia induced only to find the desired implant wasn't in the hospital, case cancelled) was in a case where the team brief was skipped in violation of policy. I'm a fan.
