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The Department of Neurosurgery strongly endorses and participates in operating room (OR) initiatives aimed at increasing safety for our patients and our co-workers.

Team of Surgeons Operating.As pioneers in the TeamSTEPPS™ (Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety) training program, the UNC Neurosurgical OR Team, including anesthesia, nursing, technicians and our neurosurgeons have developed operating room procedures and protocols that facilitate a culture of safety. The Neurosurgical OR Team routinely participates in preoperative briefings, or safety huddles, prior to every surgery. The goals of these huddles are to form a shared mental model among the team about the procedure to be performed, to ensure that all steps are performed and to empower all members of the team to be active in full participation in the case. The Team also performs debriefings after surgeries as a process-improvement tool.

The links below demonstrate examples of the UNC Neurosurgical OR Team in action performing these important safety huddles.