What can a CST be accused of if he/she leaves the OR before the patient?

A surgical technologist (CST) who leaves the operating room (OR) before the patient has safely been transferred out can be accused of abandonment. Abandonment in a healthcare context refers to the situation where a medical professional leaves a patient without providing proper care or ensuring that the patient will continue to receive necessary support and supervision.

In the OR, the surgical team has a responsibility to ensure that the patient remains safe throughout the procedure and during the immediate postoperative phase. Leaving the room prematurely can jeopardize patient safety and violate the standard of care expected from surgical personnel. Such an act may not only compromise the patient’s safety and recovery but also reflect a failure to meet the commitment to provide care until the patient is stable and under the guardianship of another qualified provider.

The other options, while reflecting serious concerns in a clinical setting, do not capture the specific legal and ethical implications of leaving a patient unattended in the OR context as effectively as abandonment does.