Question

Surgical Technology program
Case study: A CST is setting up the back table and mayo stand while the patient is in the OR, and the anesthesia care provider is preparing to administer general anesthesia. After confirming that the external steam indicator has changed color, the CST places the basin set from the ring stand to the back table and continues moving items to their appropriate place. Just before the patient is anesthetized, the circulator notices water on the inside of the wrap that had been around the basin.

                    Questions
Q5. What are the reporting requirements in this situation?

Please this question has been answered except Q5. thank you

Answer 1

Sterile fields should be established as close to the scheduled time of surgery as possible.
A. The potential for airborne contamination increases with the length of time a sterile field has been open and the risk of contamination is detrimental to the safety of the
patient. Dust and particles from the ambient environment can settle onto the surfaces of the sterile field. However, the research is conflicting regarding environmental contamination of the OR. The OR may gradually become
increasingly contaminated due to the increasing OR traffic and activity of surgical personnel. This evidence is contradicted by other research reporting there is no increase in OR environmental contamination due to traffic and activity of surgical personnel. Currently, there are no clear guidelines related to how long a sterile field
can remain exposed to the open environment of the OR without being used.Surgery departments should establish policies and procedures that address the issue and best serve the needs of the patient.
1) The policy should include that the sterile field is kept under constant observation to identify contamination that may occur and control traffic in-and-out of the OR. A sterile field that is not kept under constant observation
should be considered non-sterile and broken down.
The CST should not break scrub after setting up the sterile field to keep the field under constant observation, even if there is a delay in the start of the procedure. Additionally, the CST has a duty to be cost conscious to avoid the patient from incurring avoidable charges; for example,
unnecessarily breaking scrub after setting up the sterile field to wait in the surgery department lounge for the patient to be transported to the OR, and the patient is charged for a second set of gowns and gloves when the CST scrubs back in.While keeping the sterile field under observation, the CST should not sit down. Sitting down changes the level of sterility of the gown and upon standing up the CST should not reproach the sterile back table or Mayo stand until he/she has changed the gown.The only time the CST should sit is if the surgeon will be seated during a procedure, and the CST should only sit once the patient is draped and the surgeon is ready to
make the skin incision.