Admission, Pre-op & Post-op Checklists
The lists that prevent missed steps at 3 a.m.
Aug 15, 2026 · 3 refs
At a glance
Checklists are how tired teams stay safe. Admission, pre-op, and post-op lists do not replace thinking — they catch the missed tetanus, the undocumented NV exam, and the DVT prophylaxis that slips when the pager will not stop.
Decision-making
Use a list when the patient crosses a care boundary: ED to floor, floor to OR, OR to floor. If a box cannot be checked, that is a clinical problem to solve — not a clerical annoyance to skip.
Technique pointers
Admission (examples)
- Diagnosis / laterality / open vs closed
- NV exam documented
- Antibiotics / tetanus if open
- Imaging adequacy; reduction / splint status
- NPO / medical co-management needs
Pre-op
- Consent / site marking / implants available
- Labs, type & screen as indicated
- Clearance issues escalated
- Antibiotics timed
Post-op
- NV exam after immobilization
- Weight-bearing status written clearly
- VTE prophylaxis plan
- Wound / pin-site care and follow-up timing
High-yield / exam
- Boundaries of care are where errors cluster
- Open fracture meds are easy to miss
- Weight-bearing status must be explicit
- Post-op NV exam is part of the operation
Questions
On call and Boards items for this topic are coming.
Open the bank →Your pearl
One line you’d tell a junior at 2am.
References
- 01
WHO surgical safety checklist — principles applied to operative care handoffs
2009 · American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (guidelines / AUC) · guideline
Checklist culture reduces omitted safety steps at care transitions.
- 02
Communication and handoff quality in orthopedic trauma care
2016 · Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · review
Structured handoffs reduce missed injuries and delayed decisions.
- 03
OTA resident teaching on admission and peri-operative trauma checklists
2020 · Orthopaedic Trauma Association · guideline
Practical night-float lists for open fracture meds, NV exams, and VTE planning.
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