A surgeon is going to give a skin incision on patient. Which of the following is to be done?

Appeared in: AIIMS Delhi NO- 2019

Explanation

Time out is a mandatory safety pause conducted by the entire surgical team immediately before the skin incision.
Its purpose is to confirm the correct patient, correct procedure, and correct surgical site, preventing wrong-site or wrong-procedure errors.
During the time out, team members introduce themselves, review critical steps, and address any last-minute concerns before the operation begins.
This step is a core component of the Universal Protocol for Preventing Wrong Site, Wrong Procedure, and Wrong Person Surgery.

Option A: Sign In is the first phase of the checklist, performed before the induction of anesthesia, not immediately before the incision.
Option B: Sign Out is the final check performed after the surgery is complete and before the patient leaves the operating room.
Option D: Time In is not a standard, recognized term within the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist framework.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to WHO Surgical Safety Checklist to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
The circulating nurse plays a key role in initiating and documenting the Time Out, acting as a patient advocate to ensure all safety checks are completed.
Adherence to the surgical safety checklist is a core competency and a critical measure for preventing sentinel events like wrong-site surgery.
What if? If a discrepancy is found during the Time Out (e.g., consent form lists the left leg, but the surgical marking is on the right leg), the procedure MUST be halted. The entire team stops until the discrepancy is resolved and clarified, which may involve re-verifying with the patient (if possible) or family and reviewing all documentation.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key phrase in the question: 'going to give a skin incision'.
This phrase points to a specific moment in the surgical process.
Recall the three main phases of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist: Sign In, Time Out, and Sign Out.
Associate each phase with its timing: Sign In (before anesthesia), Time Out (before incision), and Sign Out (before leaving the OR).
Match the question's timing ('before skin incision') with the correct phase, which is 'Time Out'.
Eliminate the other options based on their incorrect timing or because they are not part of the standard checklist.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nursing Brunner Adult Health 3SA Vol 1 Part 1 p. 71-73

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 6 p. 186-188

Practise the full AIIMS Delhi NO- 2019

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.