“Speak Up”: Preparing for Surgery

Overview

The Joint Commission’s brochure “Speak Up: Preparing for Surgery” provides fundamental guidance on avoiding medical mistakes. Surgical procedures frequently involve mistakes, such as incorrect surgery or operating on the incorrect body part. The Joint Commission outlines the best practices to avoid mistakes before or after surgery in the brochure. As significant participants in the healthcare process, patients are the target audience for the brochure. It pushes them to join the healthcare team as informed, involved, and active members.

Synopsis of the Brochure

The top healthcare accreditation organization in the United States wrote a brochure to educate patients about their rights as active participants in their care and the expectations in surgical procedures to prevent medical errors. The brochure provides information to patients so they can take action to correct mistakes made during surgeries. It includes best practices that are divided into various categories, starting with the preparation of the procedure and ending with the outcomes anticipated. The patient is instructed on specific things to do and inquiries to make of the surgeon as they prepare for surgery. Additionally, the patient must be accompanied to the hospital. The patient is told what to do at the surgical facility, including signing the informed consent in the brochure.

It informs the patient of the procedures that must be carried out during the procedure, including marking and validating the precise location of the surgery. Finally, details are given regarding what to expect following surgery, including best practices for pain management and the required medications (The Joint Commission, n.d). The brochure promotes ongoing communication between the patient and the medical staff for a high-quality patient outcome.

Evaluation of the Brochure

The brochure provides crucial details on patient participation in care to prevent medical mistakes. The brochure is thoughtfully organized into several sections that the reader can easily navigate. The subject is fascinating and includes…