Surgical Services Educator Providence Mission Hospital Lake Forest, California, United States
Disclosure(s):
Elizabeth Helliesen, MSN, RN, AGACNP, CNOR: No financial relationships to disclose
Description: The purpose of this project is to reduce paper waste, maintain accurate records of the types of cases encountered by new employees—specifically Registered Nurses, Scrub Technicians, and Transition in Practice (TIP) Nurses—in the operating room, identify learning gaps, and enable efficient auditing of collected data. A unique Quick Response (QR) code was assigned to each staff member to facilitate accurate logging and tracking of the types of surgical cases they encountered. A survey-based quiz was developed for each new employee requiring case and experience tracking within the operating room. Each quiz was linked to a personalized QR code, printed on a 2x3 laminated card, and distributed to the employee. Expectations to log each case were clearly communicated, and understanding was verified through return demonstration. Leadership conducted follow-ups to ensure the tracker was being utilized effectively and to identify any learning gaps or concerns related to preceptor performance. The use of QR tracker codes significantly improves the accuracy and timeliness of case documentation. With the Case Tracker, each staff member—whether a new RN, scrub tech, or TIP nurse—is assigned a unique QR code to log surgical case exposure. This allows real-time or end-of-day logging, reducing reliance on memory and minimizing transcription errors.
