As a surgeon, one of the most important parts of your job (aside from excellent patient care) is to ensure you\u2019re operating with the safest, most sterile equipment and instruments. An operating room that hasn\u2019t been fully prepped for surgery can pose unnecessary risks to the patient. So, how can you quickly and efficiently prep the operating room for surgery? Here\u2019s everything you need to know.<\/p>\n
Shop Professional Equipment<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The operating room itself should be uncontaminated and dust free. It should be kept as minimalist as possible, with just the basic necessary equipment and furniture. Shelving and other storage units should be manufactured from durable, non-linting materials such as stainless steel or aluminium. This can help prevent the gathering of dust and unwanted germs, since these substances are easy to clean.<\/p>\n Furthermore, to ensure that the operating room remains optimally sterile, the room should have restricted access at all times. What\u2019s more, it should feature appropriate filtered air-conditioning. This, along with a regular clearing routine, should help to ensure it\u2019s a sterile environment.<\/p>\n As a healthcare provider, you may be required to enter the operating room during a procedure, or to set one up before surgery takes place. Obviously, there will be specific instruments needed depending on the nature of the surgery being performed. For example, ultracel facelift surgery will require completely different equipment than a transplant.<\/p>\n Because of this, different surgeries require different preparation. You must list every instrument being taken into the operation room. The surgeon\u2019s card must then be carefully checked when selecting surgical instruments<\/a>. The instruments should then be rotated, so that the items sterilized first are used before those sterilized later.<\/p>\n The lighting itself must be cleaned with an alcoholic solution. An overhead light is the standard lighting used during surgery. When this is used, you should take care to avoid contaminating the sterile field and medical personnel.<\/p>\n Another common source of lighting is an electric head lamp which is strapped to the surgeon\u2019s head. This should be put on at the same time as the rest of your Protective Personal Equipment (PPE) in a separate, sterile room.<\/p>\n Local and general anesthetics are usually supplied in pre-packaged, sterilized, and labelled individual doses. You should label medicine containers to show the name and strength of each solution. During the surgery, keep gloves on when touching any medication containers. Doing so allows for avoidance of cross contamination and simultaneously keeps the area as sterile and safe as possible.<\/p>\n You need to consider where the sterilized equipment has come from. It could be from an external source, or from within the hospital. Either way, before it\u2019s deemed ready for use it must go to a hospital\u2019s central processing unit where it\u2019s then decontaminated.<\/p>\nThe Room Itself<\/h2>\n
Instruments Needed in the OR<\/h2>\n
Setting Up Lighting<\/h2>\n
Administering Medication<\/h2>\n
Sterile Set Up<\/h2>\n