Precautions in Todays OR

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Precautions in Todays OR

• General Safety
• For
• Provider And Patient

Jan Jernigan and Linda Padgett 09/17/04
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Todays operating room poses many safety
challenges for the healthcare provider

• Injury from Sharps
• Blood borne Pathogens
• Personal Injury
• exposure to anesthetic gases and smoke
• Latex allergy
• Exposure to chemicals

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Surgical Sharps

• Sharps- any item or instrument used to cut or
  penetrate/puncture tissue
• Examples
• Suture Needles
• Scalpel blade
• Bovie tip
• Scissors

• Minimize exposure by
• Retracting - blade scalpel
• Shield-blade scalpel
• No Pass Zone for sharps
• Blunt tip needles
• Mechanical retraction

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Blood Borne Pathogens

• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• Human Immunodeficiency
• Virus

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Personal Injury

• Prevention includes
• Use of principles of proper body mechanics
• Shoes with well cushioned insteps and soles
• Foot rest bar or low stool for alteration of
  position

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Waste Anesthetic Gasesand Smoke

• Solution
• Effective ventilation of the room
• Minimum of 15 air changes per hour with 3 air
  changes of outdoor air per hour

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Latex Allergy

• Definition development of allergic reaction from
  exposure to latex in products
• such as
• Gloves, catheters , tubing

• Good Work Practices Latex free environment
• Or
• Low protein, powder free gloves

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Chemicals

• Chemicals such as
• paracetic acid ( used to sterilize)
• methacrylate (cement used to secure prostheses
  during bone surgery)

Prevention Follow instructions and warnings on
labels Follow MSDS instructions Know your MSDS
Phone number for contact as needed
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Patient Safety

• Critical Areas
• Patient Identification
• Patient Pre-op assessment/ Preparation
• Patient Positioning
• Time Out Rule
• Instrument Counts
• Patient Monitoring

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Be SAFE

• Take the necessary precautions
• for
• you
• and
• your patient