TL;DR
Patient Identification: Verification using at least two identifiers before any procedure, medication, or specimen collection.
Patient Identification
Definition
Verification using at least two identifiers before any procedure, medication, or specimen collection.
Key Values & Ranges
Verification using at least two identifiers before any procedure, medication, or specimen collection. National Patient Safety Goal tested on CST, MA, CNA, and EMT exams.
Related instrumentation: Allis clamp (Grasping) for Grasping tissue without crushing (bowel, fascia), traumatic teeth.
Clinical Significance
In the surgical setting, patient identification directly impacts patient safety and surgical outcomes. Relevant sterile field principles include:
- Sterile field is created as close to the time of use as possible and never left unattended
- Sterile drapes are placed from the operative site outward (near to far)
- Edges of anything that encloses sterile contents are considered unsterile (1-inch border)
- Gowns are considered sterile from chest to waist level, sleeves from 2 inches above the elbow to the cuff
- Moisture strikes through: wet drapes are contaminated, use impervious drapes and keep the field dry
Differential Diagnosis
When studying patient identification, carefully distinguish it from related but distinct concepts: surgical safety, informed consent. Exam questions often test your ability to select the most specific and appropriate answer when multiple options seem partially correct. Look for the option that most completely addresses the scenario presented.
Exam Focus Areas
On the Cst Surgical Tech, Medical Assistant, Cna Nnaap, Nremt Emt exam(s), questions about patient identification typically test:
- Counting procedures and protocols for discrepancies
- Instrument identification, function, and proper passing technique
- Sterilization parameters and monitoring methods
Equipment & Tools
Instruments and tools relevant to patient identification:
| Instrument | Category | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Mosquito clamp | Clamping | Hemostasis on small vessels, fully serrated, delicate |
| Kocher clamp | Clamping | Grasping heavy tissue (fascia), has teeth, NOT for vessels |
| Bovie (ESU) | Electrosurgery | Cut (continuous waveform) and coag (interrupted waveform) modes for hemostasis |
| Babcock clamp | Grasping | Atraumatic tissue grasping (bowel, fallopian tubes, ureters) |
Assessment Techniques
Verification using at least two identifiers before any procedure, medication, or specimen collection. National Patient Safety Goal tested on CST, MA, CNA, and EMT exams.
Related instrumentation: Army-Navy retractor (Retraction) for Shallow wound retraction, handheld, double-ended.
Why It Matters
National Patient Safety Goal tested on CST, MA, CNA, and EMT exams.
Related Terms
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