In the Medical-Surgical nursing class I’m taking this semester, we are each assigned a day to observe in the operating room. It was an interesting experience and I got to see an intense surgical procedure. One thing in particular that I saw stood out to me: before the first tool was touched or the first incision made, the nurse called what they identified as a “Time-Out.” This involved ensuring they were operating on the right patient, performing the right procedure at the right site, and identified allergies and other important data. It was a moment to pause and receive affirmation they were doing the right thing before proceeding on. Of course, you know I love finding parallels. So here it is: in our fast-paced, goal-oriented lifestyles today, we seldom take the time to pause and ensure we are doing the right thing and making the right decisions. I for sure am guilty of this! This OR experience made me ponder: Do I call my own “time-out” and seek God’s wisdom before I plunge ahead with something important or risky? Or do I blindly trust my own knowledge, experience, emotions, and understanding of the situation? Unfortunately, I often pick the latter. How many mistakes would we save ourselves from if we paused for a moment before acting? Probably quite a few. With this “time-out” in mind, I am reminded of Corrie ten Boom’s wise words: “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?”
