Question

Case:

You have recently been hired as an OR nurse at Community Hospital. Recently divorced and the mother of two very small children, you were thrilled and relieved to get a job with these hours at the only hospital in this small mid-western city. However, on your second day, you are confronted with an unusual situation. A 35-year-old woman is scheduled to undergo the surgical removal of a benign uterine tumor. While preparing for surgery, you discover that the two physicians performing the surgery are using equipment they are neither familiar with nor authorized to use. In addition, a sales person from the medical device manufacturer that makes the equipment used in the surgery operates the controls while the physicians perform the procedure. You express concern that you are not trained in assisting with the equipment. The physicians tell you not to worry because the sales person is operating the controls. You quietly ask another nurse if that is allowed by hospital policy and she says no. However, she shrugs and whispers, “They do it all the time. It’s not worth making a fuss about if you want to keep your job. Just go along and do what you’re told. It’ll be fine.”

1. narrow down the range of possible practical problems to one single problem statement. This statement will form the basis for the remainder of your analysis. Remember, the problem statement should reflect the decision to be made in response to the case. You must agree on one problem statement.

Answer 1

The possible practical problems could be communication gap, as in operation theatre every members work together as a team and if any doubt if there we must clarify at the same time otherwise it could lead to consequences. Instruments Company manufacturer used to send a representative of their company who is well trained and qualified to use the product. Every member in OT are all qualified and authorized to perform the surgery.

So, you cannot make a decision without any confirmation or clarification with all the team members leading by the head surgeon, anaesthesia, nurses, technicians etc. in relation to the surgical procedure.

While performing surgical safety checklist before, during and after the procedure clear all the doubts regarding equipment’s and or anything related. Take the responsibility to clarify all doubts as nurses always co-ordinate with the surgeons, technicians and other members to team.As a new nurse employee you can learn a lot from those experience but you cannot avoid your responsibility, there will be always some one to help you out.