1. Why Do Surgical Never Events Happen?

When people in Georgia, and throughout the U.S., go in for a surgical procedure, they often put their trust in their surgeons and the medical staff assisting them. All too often, however, surgical errors occur. In fact, American Medical News reports that patients across the country experience surgical mistakes approximately 80 times per week. Frequently, such errors result in additional or worsened medical conditions for patients, as well as death.

What are surgical never events?

There are a number of surgical errors, which are considered avoidable. These mistakes are commonly referred to as surgical never events because it is believed that they should never happen. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality point out that the most common of these types of errors include the following:

• Performing the wrong surgical procedure
• Doing a procedure on the wrong body part
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There are any number of factors, which may contribute to causing preventable surgical errors, including fatigue. Hospital staff and surgeons often work long hours, and may perform multiple procedures in the same day. Consequently, they may be tired, and thus, less alert, when performing some surgeries. This is particularly true of those that are performed later in their shifts. In addition, poor communication between the surgeons and the hospital staff members who are assisting them may also play a role in causing surgical never events.

Furthermore, distractions also frequently contribute to preventable surgical mistakes. While surgeons and other health care professionals have a responsibility to stay focused while in the operating room, distractions can, and do, occur. As a result, they may be more likely to make an error, or to miss something important during a procedure. Additionally, failure by surgeons or their support staff to adhere to safety protocols prior to a surgery, and in the operating room, may also cause these types of surgical