The gown card reads “I’ll say it again and again, overstocking leads to compromised sterility.”
I’m not sure if you’ve gotten the memo yet but the OR is all about keeping the field, the instruments, and the back table as sterile as possible. I’m sure that nugget of truth has filtered down.
Where does the sterile stuff come from, Kate?
It comes from packages. All of our sterile bits and bobs come from packages. Packages that we then open in a sterile manner and place on the back table. The scrub tech then uses sterile technique to cleanse their hands, put on a sterile gown and gloves, and then prepare the back table and mayo stand.
However, the bits and bobs come from packages, as discussed.
Some people dislike being away from the OR room and proceed to overstuff their cabinets with the packages. These can be packages of gloves, dressing supply packages, sterilely packaged drains, sutures, syringes, and needles.
There are a lot of things that are needed for surgery.
And people overstuff their cabinets with everything they can think of and then the kitchen sink.
This leads to compromised packaging.
Which leads to a break in sterility if not recognized.
Because a micro tear is still just as big a break in sterility as a big tear.
Or licking your hand and touching everything on the back table without wearing gloves as the scrub tech stares at you in disbelief.
The easiest and best way to prevent this is to STOP OVERSTOCKING!
Maybe if we anthropomorphize the packaging and make the OR team care about them like kittens we can put an end to the overstocking.
After all, you don’t want to suffocate a cute little kitten or puppy.
Right?
There are 5 other operating rooms within 100 yards of the OR. The odds are very good one of them will have the 75th size 8 1/2 glove.
Maybe stop the overstocking and use your resources?
I promise your sterile packages will breathe a sigh of relief.
This will also decrease the breaking of sterile technique.
Win-win.
Dispatches from the Evening Shift 