Page 141 - Petelin, Ana, ur. 2024. Zdravje delovno aktivnih in starejših odraslih / Health of Working-Age and Older Adults. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo ▪︎ Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press

Security of patients against unwanted events in the operating theatre.

Sara Stražišar, Kristina Martinović
University of Primorska, Faculty of Health Sciences, Izola, Slovenia

Introduction: Surgical interventions are quite common in the working population. Ac-
cording to data, 20% of individuals are exposed to surgical care during this period. In
the process, errors and adverse events caused by healthcare workers occur. The aim
of this paper was to investigate the most common adverse events that occur during
the perioperative period and to identify ways to protect patients from them.
Methods: We conducted an integrative literature review according to PRISMA guide-
lines. Literature was collected from COBISS, PubMed, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Di-
KUL and Science Direct databases. We searched between 2014 and 2024 and used
Boolean AND and OR operators. Keywords were generated in both Slovenian and
English, related to operating room, adverse events, safety, patients and healthcare
workers.
Results: There were 14,243 hits identified in all databases. After reviewing the litera-
ture against the PRIZMA guidelines, we included 12 articles. Most common adverse
events in the operating room include wound infections, bleeding, breathing problems,
allergic reactions to drugs, nerve damage, bone fractures, and post-operative pain.
Well-trained OR nurses are essential to ensure a job well done in the operating the-
atre. It is important that they are able to identify potential hazards to patient in time
and take appropriate action. To achieve this knowledge, consistent and appropriate
education in perioperative nursing must be provided. Perioperative care covers spe-
cialised areas that require knowledge and understanding of the whole person, their
anatomy, physiology and diseases, as well as technical knowledge of equipment, in-
struments and sterilisation procedures. Patient safety depends to a large extent on
the functioning of the operating team. Lack of teamwork and communication leads to
poorer care at all stages of the patient’s treatment. Good communication is support-
ed by proper documentation and the use of surgical safety protocols. This helps to en-
sure that all the necessary preparations and safety procedures are carried out, ensur-
ing greater patient safety. However, all working equipment and instruments also need
to be maintained and regularly inspected to prevent adverse events.
Discussion and conclusion: Continuous improvement of practices and the implementa- problemi, izzivi in priložnosti na področju zdravja ... | concerns, challenges and opportunities in the health ...
tion of new technologies are key to ensuring the highest possible level of safety in the
operating room. There is a tendency to establish postgraduate training for OR nurs-
es, as their competence remains crucial to ensure patient safety during surgery. With
proper staff training and the use of standardised protocols, we can reduce the inci-
dence of adverse events and improve the quality of care for all patients, resulting in a
quicker return to work.
Keywords: safety, patient, professional errors, adverse events, surgery

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