Final answer:
A nurse must have a clear communication channel with the physician and follow strict verification protocols, including sign-in and time out, before accepting a telephone order to ensure patient safety and accurate treatment.
Step-by-step explanation:
When accepting a telephone order as a nurse, it is critical to possess a clear and precise communication channel with the ordering physician. This ensures accurate transcription and verification of the order. Before any procedure, such as the induction of anesthesia, the nursing staff, including an anesthesia professional, must orally confirm various details in a sign-in process.
This sign-in includes the confirmation of the procedure name, completion of the needle, sponge, and instrument counts, labeling of specimens, and identification of any equipment issues. Following this, a time out is conducted before the skin incision, where the entire medical team reconfirms critical details. It is vital that these protocols, including the time out, are adhered to when receiving and acting upon a telephone order to minimize the risk of errors.