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Joan Porteous

Publications and source records attributed to Joan Porteous.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Performance appraisals in the OR: everyone's business.

Performance appraisals affect everyone. Perioperative nurses often participate in staff orientations and act as preceptors for other learners. Nurses also participate in their own performance appraisal process. This article discusses performance appraisal forms and performance interview processes. Examples of a performance appraisal form design and performance indicators for perioperative nurses are included. Potential problems with performance appraisals are identified and the impact of Canadian law on performance appraisals is discussed.

Canada↗
PubMed2005

Don't tip the scales! Care for patients involved in a police investigation.

Occasionally perioperative nurses are involved in the complex role of caring for medical-legal evidence while also advocating for the patient's right for privacy. Appropriate management of evidence may be the deciding factor in the outcome of a criminal investigation. Understanding the importance of evidence is the first step in learning how to prevent its unintentional destruction during the surgical procedure. Our first consideration with every patient is to provide safe and efficient care. In the OR, cooperation with the police is balanced with the patient's right to privacy and confidentiality of their health care information. This is not always an easy task. Perioperative nurses have a responsibility to their patients as well as to investigators to do what is appropriate, since our actions can have direct effects on the outcomes of criminal investigations. Understanding the importance of evidence is the first step in learning how to keep evidence from being destroyed. Hospital documentation is often accepted in a court of law without challenge.

Confidentiality↗
PubMed2004

Surgical counts can be risky business!

The surgical count plays a vital role in enabling perioperative nurses to provide a safe environment to surgical patients. Counting errors are preventable. Although national standards of care provide excellent guidelines for developing effective count protocols, counting procedures are often modified according to individual health care policy. This article will discuss the risk factors for retained items, rate of occurrence, what objects are being left in patients, role of x-rays and consequences of leaving an object in a patient. It will also highlight points to be considered when implementing new count policies.

Canada↗
PubMed2002

Artificial nails... very real risks.

The current social trend towards personal esthetics has come into conflict with safe perioperative care practices. While artificial nails have become very popular they pose a significant risk to patients. Surgical personnel who scrub while wearing artificial nails are putting their patients at higher risk for post-surgical wound infection. Artificial nails harbour microbes and cannot be cleaned as effectively as short, natural nails. We cannot rely on surgical gloves to always contain these hand organisms. There are reported cases where artificial nails have been the cause of post-surgical infections and even death. OR personnel who scrub should not wear artificial nails.

Cosmetics↗