Which verification steps are essential before performing a procedure?

Which verification steps are essential before performing a procedure?

• A. Confirm patient’s allergies prior to procedure.
• B. Verify patient identity using at least two identifiers, confirm the correct procedure, and confirm the correct site; resolve discrepancies
• C. Check the appointment time with the patient
• D. Obtain consent from family only

Answer: (B)

Before any procedure, the critical safety check is the pre-procedure verification that prevents wrong-patient, wrong-procedure, and wrong-site errors. It requires confirming the patient’s identity using at least two identifiers (for example, name and date of birth or medical record number), confirming the exact procedure planned, and confirming the correct site; if any discrepancy is found, it must be resolved before starting. This aligns with the Universal Protocol and the time-out step done just before the procedure. While asking about allergies is important for safety, it does not by itself verify identity, procedure, or site. Scheduling details like appointment time aren’t part of this verification, and consent should come from the patient or their legally authorized representative, not solely from family.

Before any procedure, the critical safety check is the pre-procedure verification that prevents wrong-patient, wrong-procedure, and wrong-site errors. It requires confirming the patient’s identity using at least two identifiers (for example, name and date of birth or medical record number), confirming the exact procedure planned, and confirming the correct site; if any discrepancy is found, it must be resolved before starting. This aligns with the Universal Protocol and the time-out step done just before the procedure. While asking about allergies is important for safety, it does not by itself verify identity, procedure, or site. Scheduling details like appointment time aren’t part of this verification, and consent should come from the patient or their legally authorized representative, not solely from family.