Journal of perioperative practice
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At a recent AfPP event, during a debating session amongst fellow perioperative practitioners, the role and remit of assistant theatre practitioner (ATP) was raised. The debating panel's views were sought from several quarters and the subject seemed to spark discussion and much 'harrumphing' in the audience. A recently qualified ATP, who, having spent an intensive two years studying for a foundation degree, expressed his frustration about on-going role ambiguity and the struggle to have his newly acquired knowledge and skills recognised in practice. As a heated discussion went around the room, polarised views were emergent, in particular themed around concerns about delegation, accountability and scope of practice.
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A review by Catchpole et al (2009) into the causes and types of harm experienced by the surgical patient emphasised the high risk nature of the perioperative period. Investigations into recent failures at NHS organisations have emphasised the relevance of non-technical skills education in improving clinical performance and patient outcomes. ⋯ This literature review identifies strategies that facilitate assessment of non-technical skills during surgery. Recommendations are made that will assist scrub practitioners in using a validated scrub practitioner non-technical skills assessment framework reliably.
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The concept of 'lean thinking' first originated in the manufacturing industry as a means of improving productivity whilst maintaining quality through eliminating wasteful processes. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how the principles of 'lean thinking' are relevant to healthcare and the operating theatre, with reference to our own institutional experience.