How are standard precautions observed in the OR?

Answer 1

Because many times you are dealing with delicate procedures in the OR room, standard precautions are greatly enforced in the surgery unit. Because surgeries take place in the OR rooms, sterile standard precautions are used in the unit. Health care workers use the foot covers, head covers, scrub provided by the hospital, and mouth covers when on the Surgery floor. When dealing with patients, such as preparing them for a procedure, you wear gloves to protect yourself and the patient from any type of infection. Before the doctor arrives for the procedure, the RNs and other health care staff prepare everything that is needed for the procedure. One thing that is prepared is the sterile table with the sterile utensils that will be used during surgery. Before setting up the table, the health care worker must use sterile gowns and sterile gloves. Because they are setting up a sterile environment, sterile rules are applied to the preparation such as anything sterile touches only other sterile items, and everything below your sterile field and any sterile items you turn your back on are considered contaminated. Once the sterile item touches another item that is not sterile, it is considered contaminated and must be properly disposed of. Before the sterile preparation is set up or other set ups take place, the worker must wash their hands before and after. After the procedures are done, and the patient is in the post surgery recovery room, disinfection of the room is required. This means that everything that was used for the procedure is disposed and chemicals such as chlorine are used to disinfect the floor. Another standard precaution that must be taken under consideration in the OR room is if you are not in a sterile gown, then you must not touch anything that is covered in blue. If it is touched and you are not sterile, then the whole set up that was touched must be redone and lots of money is wasted.