June 19, 2007 - Co-sponsored by the American College of Surgeons, The Joint Commission and the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, Wednesday, June 20 is National Time Out Day, dedicated to reminding surgical team members how important taking “time out” can be to ensuring patient safety in Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASC).
The event, in its fourth consecutive year, was designed to highlight The Joint Commission’s Universal Protocol for Preventing Wrong Site, Wrong Procedure, Wrong Person Surgery. The Joint Commission’s guidelines include recommendations for: a preoperative verification process, marking of the operative site, taking a “time out” immediately before beginning any procedure; and adaptation of the requirements to non-operating room settings. Currently, 49 professional healthcare organizations and associations endorse the protocol.
For more information: www.fasa.org