Inova Fairfax Hospital Staff Takes ‘Time Out’ to Encourage Patient Safety Procedures

Staff Marks ‘National Time Out’ Day

Falls Church, VA – (June 16, 2010) — On June 16, nurses, surgeons and anesthesiologists at Inova Fairfax Hospital marked “National Time Out” day with a poster signing. With markers in hand, dozens of staff signed an “I Commit to Support Time Out” poster to increase awareness of and compliance to taking a “time out” for every patient before the start of a surgical procedure. Time out allows the entire surgical team to verify the correct patient, procedure and site.

Organized nationally by the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), National Time Out day is designed to reduce the risk of surgical errors in hospitals across the country.

Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.