In ICRA, what is a 'time-out' intended to do?

In ICRA, what is a 'time-out' intended to do?

• A. A break for lunch
• B. A deliberate pause to reassess risk and confirm that containment controls are in place before continuing work
• C. A double-check of supply inventory
• D. A period to train new staff

Answer: (B)

In ICRA, a time-out is a deliberate pause to reassess risk and confirm that containment controls are in place before continuing work. This moment allows the team to verify that everything essential for safety is ready: the patient is correctly placed in containment, room engineering controls (like appropriate ventilation or negative pressure if needed) are functioning, the proper PPE is donned and available, and required procedures or barriers are in place. If conditions have changed—such as a new risk, a different procedure, or a new team member—the time-out gives a chance to pause, review the plan, and re-confirm that containment controls are active and effective before proceeding. This reduces the chance of lapses that could expose staff or others to infection. Lunch breaks, inventory checks, and dedicated training periods do not specifically address verifying and maintaining containment before continuing a task, so they wouldn’t fulfill the intent of a time-out in this context.

In ICRA, a time-out is a deliberate pause to reassess risk and confirm that containment controls are in place before continuing work. This moment allows the team to verify that everything essential for safety is ready: the patient is correctly placed in containment, room engineering controls (like appropriate ventilation or negative pressure if needed) are functioning, the proper PPE is donned and available, and required procedures or barriers are in place. If conditions have changed—such as a new risk, a different procedure, or a new team member—the time-out gives a chance to pause, review the plan, and re-confirm that containment controls are active and effective before proceeding. This reduces the chance of lapses that could expose staff or others to infection.

Lunch breaks, inventory checks, and dedicated training periods do not specifically address verifying and maintaining containment before continuing a task, so they wouldn’t fulfill the intent of a time-out in this context.