Principles of Risk Management and Its Theory Associated with the Role of the ASP - Essay Example

Principally, risks can be managed and averted with proper communication between members of the surgical team, as well as other clinical teams. The ASP is required to be able to notice unusual occurrences in surgical patients. Surgeons must have clinical privileges to perform surgeries so as to avert risks. ASPs must be on the lookout for risk factors such as surgeries on the wrong patient, medication errors, and performance of the wrong procedure among other risks. ASPs are also expected to have an inspection checklist to be used before surgical procedures and before anesthetizations because of the risky nature of these procedures (Youngberg 2011, p. 343).

Principles of risk management associated with the role of ASPs include pursuing every surgery with accurate precision, following all surgical guidelines to the letter, and careful documentation of a patient’s history, physical examination results, and follow-up plans. The ASP should assist the surgeon in ensuring that the rest of the surgical team complies with these principles in order to avert risks. ASPs also need to stick to protocols and not take anything for granted so that the chances of risks can be lowered (Osuch & Bonham 1994, p. 272).