The Henry Ford Allegiance Health surgical team was preparing a patient for a procedure to remove the right kidney. Following safety protocol, Nurse Crawford asked the patient to state which procedure was about to be done. The patient answered that the left kidney was being removed. Because this contradicted the related paperwork, Nurse Crawford immediately halted the process. Dr. Husain, the anesthesiologist, reviewed the patient’s x-rays, which showed a mass on the patient’s left kidney. She reported the error to the surgeon, and the surgeon corrected the patient’s charting and marked the left side for surgery.
“Always asking the patient to identify the procedure they are about to have is a crucial safety measure. In this case, it alerted us to look further, even though all our records seemed to be in order. The safety protocols we have in place for every surgery help avoid human error,” said Dr. Husain.
Launched in March 2016, the MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award recognizes individuals and teams within MHA Keystone Center Patient Safety Organization hospitals who speak up to prevent potential harm to patients or other staff members.
“This award recognizes the importance of speaking up in the best interest of our patients,” Nurse Crawford said. “I am honored to receive it and grateful to Henry Ford Allegiance Health for empowering all team members to voice our safety concerns.”