Surgical Team

This paper will explore the role of the surgical technologist as the first scrub. It will discuss the education and training needed for this profession. Furthermore, the paper will look at the career advancement and opportunities to specialize that the surgical technologist can explore with more schooling and experience. There are different work environments available for this occupation and I will mention a few of them. Equally as important, I will examine some of the different surgical specialties and give examples of operating procedures that the surgical technologist will use to help the surgical team perform the operations. I was able to find the information contained in this paper using two publications found on the Internet

The general principals for environmental cleaning are to ensure the hospital environment is as clean as possible to reduce the risk of infection, and that all precautions are taken in accordance to legislation and Healthcare policy’s and guidelines. “To prevent the transfer of micro-organisms which may cause infection, and to prevent the transfer of foreign protein which may cause adverse reaction and pose the risk of spreading diseases e.g. vCJD. “

All areas that are being used for healthcare activities should be cleaned with either disinfectant wipes each morning and in between patients/procedures. Equipment should be all new out of the packets and clean. For things more major such as vasectomy’s, minor surgery or family planning clinics, areas should be cleaned everywhere with a disinfectant fluid and also with wipes, gloves should always be worn as well as other PPE such as aprons and hats. All equipment should be new from the packet and only touched by the person who is using

There are many reasons to become a surgical technologist, and numerous information reasons why I want to take this course. Taking this class made me see a whole other side of the profession then when I was doing my research. I have learned so much about the changes in medicine and about surgical technology itself that it’s hard for me to put in all in one paper. Through the course of this paper I will go over my own reasons to take the course, things that I personally learned over the last eight weeks, what my plans for the future are, and the different qualities that are needed in the field.

worker wearing an apron and gloves for procedures will reduce the spread of infection by preventing infection passing on from

Implementation of patient care practices for infection control is the role of the nursing staff. Nurses are responsible for maintaining hygiene, consistent with hospital policies and good nursing practice on the ward and monitoring aseptic techniques, including hand-washing and use of isolation. It is also in their scope of practice to promptly report to the attending physician any evidence of infection in patients under the nurse’s care and initiating patient isolation and ordering culture specimens from any patient showing signs of a communicable disease, when the physician is not immediately available. Limiting patient exposure to infections from visitors, hospital staff, other patients, or equipment used for diagnosis or treatment and maintaining

According to the Hospital National Patient Safety Goals, Goal 7 is to reduce the risk of health-care associated infections. NPSG.07.0.01 deals with surgical-site infections. The question to be asked is, “Why are surgical site infections a problem?” The prevention of surgical site infections can occur before and during surgery, with certain actions of the nurse, and when the patient is healthy. One way surgical site infections can occur is during surgery, or intra-operation. Sources of bacteria, exogenously, include the airborne route as a significant source of infection. Endogenously, infections can occur from the normal flora of a patient (Edmiston & Spencer, 2014a). Surgical site infections are a problem intra-operatively because of operating room temperatures not being controlled, misuse of sterile procedure, and improper hand hygiene. Operating room temperatures should be kept between 68 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit or 20 to 24 degrees Celsius. There also needs to be positive

As a leader in health care, it is important that employees have the proper education and training for compliance with infection control. An infection control practitioner should be assigned surveillance of infections, calculate infection rates, and report these numbers to the appropriate personnel. Clinical nurses, such as nurses, should have periodic evaluations to ensure they are practicing patient safety. There are many other key factors that should be implemented in health care facilities to improve infection control. First is hand hygiene; there could be random observers periodically monitoring a certain floor or department for hand sanitation practices. Secondly, is the health care environment. This includes, making sure employees are sanitizing surfaces and equipment, educating visitors and families on infection control measures, and properly using personal protective equipment. Improper use, wear, and removal of personal protective equipment can cause serious health consequences to the worker and the patients, which means employees need be continuously trained and educated on this equipment.

Health Care providers must implement infection control at all times. This is essential in order to avoid any sources of contamination that would put patients at risk for infection as well as all hospital personnel. There are two important aseptic techniques: Medical Asepsis, and Surgical Asepsis. The first one includes hand hygiene, use of gloves, masks, gowns and routine

As the ASC continued to grow in response to the increasing number of members, the procedures that were internalized not only increased, and were more complex. During that that time of expansion, I help strengthen the collaboration among ASC leadership and personnel to ensure that all surgical initiative is a success. In my role as perioperative educator, I spearheaded the development, implementation and evaluation of training and education via clinical simulation of procedures internalized in the ASC in 2015.

This paragraph explains ways to prevent infections contracted from hospitals. The number one way to lower the spread of infections contracted through a hospital is correct sanitation customs. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a federal government agency has come up with guidelines in order to safeguard against the expansion of infections and diseases for patients and the workers (Hedman, 2010). It is mandatory for administrators of hospitals to write a disclosure policy to protect the workers from infections like Hepatitis B and other infections and bad bacteria. Minimizing infections that the workers have can aid in stopping the spread of

The priority nursing diagnosis of hospital acquired infection is risk for any kind of infection. One of the main goals for each patient in the hospital is the patient will remain free of infection as evidence by absence of heat, pain, redness, or swelling in any area of the patient’s body during each nurse’s shift. (care plan book). Frequently hand washing is the best intervention for preventing infection. Hand washing reduces the risk of transmission of pathogens by inhibiting the growth of or killing the microorganisms. (cb)Proper sterile technique during urinary

Surgeons must work in sterile environments when performing surgeries as it benefits both the patient(s) and the perioperative team, in terms of hygiene and personal health.

Research shows that Surgical site infections are preventable. According to the CDC, hand hygiene is the simplest approach to preventing the spread of infections and needs to be incorporated into the culture of the organization. Ensuring the use of infection control prevention is an important component of nursing care. Infection control prevention policies must be communicated undoubtedly to all employees. Staffers who do not comply must be re-educated to ensure that all are complying. Speaking up and pointing out that a nurse forgot to wash his or her hands, or notifying the surgical team that surgical instruments were not adequately cleaned may seem like small issues; but at the same time, not acknowledging a break in a sterile technique could mean the difference between life and death for a patient. One hospital that was struggling with high levels of infection related to surgical procedures, implemented a pre-procedure huddle as a team. This innovate way decreased the spread of infection and was a great way to improve the quality of care for patients. As mandated by the Joint commission, infection prevention personnel should provide multidisciplinary education on SSI prevention, to all team members, including

* Hand washing is the most important method of preventing the spread of infection by contact (Ayliffe et al 1999). The Nottingham University Trust Policy on Hand Hygiene (2009) states that there are three types of hand hygiene, the first is ‘routine hand hygiene’ which involves the use of soap and water for 15 – 20 seconds or the application of alcohol hand rub until the hand are dry. The second is ‘hand disinfection’ which should be used prior to an aseptic procedure by washing with soap and water and applying alcohol hand rub afterwards. The third is ‘surgical hand washing’ which is the application of a microbial agent to the hands and wrists for two minutes. In addition to which a sterile, disposable brush may be used for the first surgical hand wash of the day although continued use will encourage colonisation of microbes. The third example is the most appropriate to any O.D.P undertaking the surgical role as it is the best way for the surgical team to eliminate transient flora and reduce resident skin flora (World Health Organization 2010). The first and second are important to any O.D.P undertaking any other role within the Operating Department as this is the best way to reduce the transient microbial flora without necessarily affecting the resident skin flora