Does AORN recommend performing the initial count before the patient enters the room?
Does it matter in which order we count items?
Should we count sponges by 1–10 or 1–5?
If we have multiple procedures for the same patient, should we count the items together or separately?
Do we have to recount if we are interrupted during the count?
Is the count incorrect if there are extra items?
Is the count correct or incorrect when the patient leaves with packing?
When is an item considered to be retained?
Does the count sheet need to be kept in the patient’s record or retained for a set amount of time?
If an RN circulator and scrub person count an instrument tray prior to sterilization, can this count as a first instrument count?
Should prep sponges be radiopaque?
What is the difference between counting items and accounting for items?
Should adjunct technology devices be used throughout the organization?
How do the different types of adjunct technology devices work?
The guidance on instrument counting when closing a cavity within a cavity says this may depend on the procedure performed and instruments used. Can you provide an example of when instrument counting might be waived when closing a uterine cavity?