Final answer:
To prevent the recurrence of sponges left in patients, it's critical to engage in team verbal reviews, enhance hygiene practices, utilize checklist protocols, perform systematic counts of instruments, maintain sterile fields through aseptic technique, and adhere strictly to isolation and disinfection protocols.
Step-by-step explanation:
To preclude the recurrence of medical sponges being left in patients, several actions should be taken. First, reduction in human error can be achieved through the use of a verbal review by the surgical team, including the surgeon, nurse, and anesthesiologist, to ensure all key concerns for the patient's recovery are addressed. Second, improvements in hygiene practices are necessary, with thorough handwashing between patient contacts, and adherence to aseptic techniques to uphold a sterile environment. Finally, a rigorous checklist protocol, much like those used by airline pilots, should be implemented for medical staff to follow during procedures to minimize the risk of contamination and ensure all equipment is accounted for before surgery is complete.
The inclusion of systematic sponge, needle, and instrument counts before, during, and after surgery, performed audibly with the team, can help prevent similar incidents.
Moreover, the removal of infected tissue, as with the case of Mark, stems the infection by eliminating the source of the bacteria and reducing the spread to other areas.
In addition, using sterile fields and aseptic techniques during procedures and maintaining strict isolation and disinfection protocols are essential methods to prevent hospital-acquired infections such as sepsis and to keep biofilm formation on medical devices at bay.