Key Takeaways: Revised Guideline for Team Communication

Explanation:

The operating room (OR) is a high-risk sociotechnical environment with various professionals working in close proximity, and effective team communication in the perioperative and procedural environment is the foundation of optimal patient outcomes.

Recommendations

NEW: Resilience support is evident in interventions that support the capabilities of individual and system performance in perioperative teams, such as:

• briefings to promote a shared mental model,
• surgeons frequently verbalizing procedure updates to facilitate situational awareness,
• redundancies in resources (ie, staffing, supplies and equipment),
• skills coaching to proactively prompt team members about tasks before needed completion,
• optimized workspace design and room setup for efficient positioning of people and equipment, and
• accurate use of standardized communication tools (ie, time out, briefing, debriefing). 1.5

NEW: Team training specific to the hand-off process should be provided.

• Team training facilitates the best practices for effective communication, establishing clear roles and ensuring that all team members are fully engaged and prepared to take on their responsibilities. 3

Clinical resources for your facility

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