Reflective Essay On Preoperative Briefing

I feel that the preoperative briefing that took place before the patient arrived is what allowed the team to work so well in this emergency case, all of the details that was known about the patient was shared to the entire theatre team, with enough time to be able to prepare and collect all the appropriate equipment that was needed but also equipment that was possibile needed so that all avenues of care was covered and prepared.
Bethune (2011) stated that teamwork, communication, and efficiency in the operating theatre is widely recognised to be suboptimal. Poor communication is the single biggest cause of medical error. The surgical operating theatre is a potentially highly stressed environment where poor communication can lead to fatal errors. The objectives of the study carried out by Bethune (2011) was to assess the effects briefings and debriefings had on theatre start time, list lengths, and the staff's impression of these meetings. The study comprised of recording briefings and debriefings that were conducted before the start of theatre lists over a 6 month period in 2007 in a district general hospital in north Bristol, UK. By using the hospital theatre database, theatre start and finish time was found and list length calculated and to assess staff attitude to the briefings and debriefings a questionnaire was devised and used. (Bethune et al., 2011). Bethune (2011) stated that the results from the study showed that staff felt that the briefings highlighted potential problems, improved the team culture, and led to organisational change. Theatre start times tended to be earlier and lists lengths were shorter when briefings were conducted. the study carried out by Bethune (2011) supports my feelings that the preoperative briefings had a positive impact on teamwork, communication and efficiency, therefore allowing the team and myself to provide a high standard of care for the patient. Even though I feel that I performed well during this case, I recognise that need to continue to develop my skills as a student operating department practitioner. After observing my mentor in previous cases I notice that when asked for any equipment, drugs or anything regarding the patient my mentor had already thought about the possibility of all situations arising as was prepared by having the equipment or drugs already in theatre or within an arm's reach. I feel that now that I have become more confident within the theatre environment which I believe is due to my increasing knowledge, understanding and skills within this area, however I want and need to …show more content…
Once the case was over I felt a large amount of pride in the fact that I was able to help save a patient's life, that my actions along with the actions of the other professional in the theatre team aided the patient enough to be able to survive his theatre experience.
In conclusion I feel that I was able to provide the best care possible within my skill range to the patient as a student operating department practitioner, with minimal assistance from a distant supervising mentor, I also feel that I have developed greatly since the first time that I encountered a case such as this. I am aware of the areas in which I need to continue to develop in my skill base, especially my delegation skills, although I believe that this skill will continue to improve as my confidence improves within the theatre