Task Prioritization Summary

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Task prioritization is the term used to define one’s ability in organizing scheduled activities (“Prioritization”, n.d.), which in medical reference refers to establishing how urgent and necessary these tasks are in maintaining the wellbeing of the differing patient cases (AIR,2013).The scenario proposes a situation in which all three cases obtain a great level of urgency; a trauma high speed Motor vehicle accident (MVA) that may pose life threatening consequences, a patient in theatre requiring immediate attention as they require anaesthetics for a closed reduction and finally a mobile x-ray for a patient in ICU for the placement of an Nasogastric (NG) tube where misplacement may also lead to serious medical issues. Due to a frantic task list, …show more content…

This is because a delay in the radiographer’s responsibilities also means a delay in the various other processes that take place within a closed reduction. This includes ensuring a sufficient level of communication between the theatre team (e.g. surgeon and the radiographer) which in essence can minimize the time taken to achieve the required views, thus reducing exposure to the patient and staff (Yeo et al, 2014). This also assists in organizing time to complete the ICU patient waiting, since a radiographer’s role in theatre for a closed reduction could range from taking pre and post op radiographs to staying throughout the duration of the procedure. Similarly, NSW Health, 2013 also discusses the significance of being practical in order to achieve optimal radiographs. This can be accomplished through measures such as simply preparing the mobile xray machine and cassette setup before the patient reaches the theatre room (NSW Health, 2013) or the C-arm/image intensifier. In any theatre instance, specifically a closed reduction as proposed, a radiographer plays a prime role since the surgeon cannot operate without the guidance of the radiographer who produces the images used to locate the site requiring reduction and how much reduction is required throughout the entire process. This should be completed immediately after the patient is anesthetised. In addition to this, the radiographer is often the …show more content…

Regardless of being ranked last, it still remains a high priority as these tubes can be critical “to the survival and recovery of patients” and where misplacement can be lethal (National Patient Safety Agency, 2008). Nonetheless, it was chosen to be completed last since a mobile chest xray is not the only method of ensuring the appropriate placement of a NG tube. Infact, the method of utilizing pH indicator pieces to measure the pH of aspirate is also encouraged to confirm the placement of a NG tube as an alternative to a mobile chest xray (National Patient Safety Agency, 2008). This in addition to the patient having consistent supervision in ICU, also ensures that there is and always will be a duty of care dedicated to that patient, hence allowing the radiographer to attend to tasks of greater medical emergency. Again, communication plays a prime role in ensuring these responsibilities are upheld, meaning that an efficient level of communication between radiographer and ICU nurse must take place. This can include notifying ICU that you must attend to an urgent theatre case with no other radiographers available or enquiring about the risk level of the patient; for example whether they are at high or low risk or misplacement. This can serve useful purposes as patients such as those with symptoms like coughs, frequent vomiting and an

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