Learn From Your Mistakes: The Forgotten Suction Machine

I had everything I could possibly need for this case. Or so I thought…

I vividly remember the first case I circulated on my own. I had finally completed my orientation, and I was ready! I had a full day of orthopedic cases in my OR, starting with a knee scope. I carefully wiped down my room and gathered equipment, eager to independently circulate my cases. I had everything I could possibly need for this case. Or so I thought…

The patient was positioned, prepped, and draped. The time out was completed, and the surgical tech started throwing off cords that needed to be hooked up. When everything was plugged in, I was still holding on to suction tubing. I was trying desperately to figure out where it went, when suddenly it hit me: I didn’t have a suction machine!

The Panic: For Five Minutes or an Eternity?

I frantically looked around the room. Where was my suction machine?! Was it in the corner and I just forgot to pull it out? No. I stuck my head outside my door – perhaps I would get lucky and there would be one in the hall. I wasn’t so lucky. My OR director happened to be walking down the hall at the moment. She saw the panicked look on my face and asked if I was OK. I immediately told her I needed a suction machine. The surgeon was getting very impatient waiting to start the surgery, and I needed help! She ran off to grab me a suction machine and assisted me with getting it into the room and set up. The whole ordeal didn’t take more than five minutes or so, but since I was panicking, it felt like an eternity. 

We're All Human

I was so embarrassed! But, at the end of the case, despite my mistake and my impatient surgeon, the patient had a successful procedure, and I learned a valuable lesson. The lesson wasn’t that every scope needs suction, although that’s true. I already knew that but forgot and made a mistake. The lesson I took away from this experience was this: Making mistakes doesn’t make us failures, it makes us human. The only time we fail is when we don’t take the time to learn from our mistakes, so that we don’t repeat them.

I share this story because it’s a good reminder that, even with the best training program, new and experienced nurses alike can forget a needed item. I never forgot about the suction again when I set up for a knee scope. You may make a mistake and you may forget something, but if you learn from it, you’ll be a better nurse for it. Don’t give up!

AORN Resources

If your facility subscribes to eGuidelines+, you can access:

• Room Setup at a Glance | AORN eGuidelines+