An OT Day
HOW TO PREPARE OT?
- All equipment, particularly the operating theatre table and
all storage ledges,within the rooms,should be cleaned with damp
duster.Floors are cleaned before sterile trolleys are prepared.
- Sterile nail brushes,scrub solution gown packs and all items
required in the OT should be checked and replaced if required
- The required number of bottles or flasks of sterile saline or
water for hand-lotion bowls are placed in position.
- Fresh replacements of bandages, strapping, splints and lotions,
etc., should be available before the operation list commences.
- Finally equipment required for the first operation is checked by
the senior operating theatre nurse or the scrub nurse also selects
sterile packs, may prepare instruments and special apparatus for
sterilization.
- Special attention is given to the operation table and
accessories to ensure that these are present and in working
order, are inspected for illumination and focus of lights.
- All electromedical apparatus such as the diathermy and suction
machines or pipeline suction set are switched on and tested.
HOW TO PREPARE AN INSTRUMENT TROLLEY?
- Instrument trolley should be prepared immediately before an
operation.
- It is a bad practice to prepare all trolleys required for a
list in the morning,for even if they are covered carefully,it
is impossible to guarantee sterility when required later.
- All metal surfaces of trolleys and tables which are to be used
for setting out sterile instruments and apparatus should first
be covered with a sterile water-proof material before the
application of sterile drapes.
- If the instrument trays have been placed on the trolleys
aseptically,the instruments are laid out by a nurse wearing
sterile gown and gloves.
- It is a bad practice for an" unscrubbed"person to complete
this arrangement using Cheatle forceps, because of the great
risk of contamination occurring when ungloved hands are moved
to and fro over the sterile trolley.
THERE IS NO PLACE IN A MODERN OPERATING ROOM FOR USE OF UNSTERILE
FORCEPS STORED HALF SUBMERGED IN A CONTAINER OF DISINFECTANT.
- Prepared sterile packs containing all the necessary equipment
relevant to a listed operation, and incorporating trolley
drapes which fall into position as the pack is opened, will
shorten the time taken for preparation and cut down bacterial
contamination in the O.T.
WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF THE SCRUB NURSE?
- The nurse or operating department assistant (ODA) acting as
scrub nurse, scrubs up puts on sterile gown, and sterile gloves
on the hands like the rest of the surgical team
- When scrubbing up to carry out surgical hand disinfection, care
must be taken to ensure that all parts of the hands and
forearms are cleaned thoroughly, special attention being given
to the nails and between the fingers.
- It is important that no person should scrub unless free from
upper respiratory infection and skin lesions.
- Cuts and abrasions or infected pimples can endanger the patient
by increasing the possibility of post-operative infection.
- She/he anticipates and provides all instruments required by the
surgeon.
- Keeps count of them and all swabs used.
WHAT ARE YOUR DUTIES AS CIRCULATING NURSES?
- In addition to the scrub nurse,one or two nurses or ODAS are
on duty to act as circulators.One stays in the operating
theatre, watching the scrub nurse and ready to bring anything
she requires.
- The main duties of the second circulating nurse are to see
that the instruments and trolleys are READY for the NEXT CASE,
and she should help in PLACING the PATIENT on the operation
table if a porter or technician is not available.
- She anticipates and gives to the scrub nurse articles from
sterile bags or packs, she REPLACES sterile gowns and gloves
used up on the sterile trolley reserved for the purpose.
- The first circulating nurse also TIES up the gowns, being
careful to avoid touching any part of the gown other than
the tapes.
- She should identify the patient by the identity tag and case
notes before he/she enters the OT.
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