|
Risks of Manual Scrubbing of Surgical Instruments
What you can't see CAN
hurt you!
| Risks
for the Sterile Processor |
| • |
PATHOGEN
EXPOSURE FROM CLEANING PROCESS: |
| |
| • |
Airborne |
| • |
Splash
and splatter |
| • |
Puncture
Wounds |
|
|
| Risks
to the Patient |
| • |
PATHOGEN
TRANSFER FROM PATIENT to PATIENT: |
| |
| • |
Debris
left behind from inadequately cleaned instruments |
| • |
Debris
left behind from inadequately rinsed instruments |
| • |
Moisture
left from inadequately dried instruments |
| • |
If
an instrument is not clean, it will not be
sterile |
|
|
| Risks
to the Instruments |
| • |
INSTRUMENTS
ARE TOO DELICATE FOR MANUAL SCRUBBING: |
| |
| • |
Abrasives
destroy passivation layer that protects instruments
from corrosion, rusting or pitting |
| • |
Bent |
| • |
Broken |
| • |
Blades
dulled |
| • |
Scissor
blades misaligned |
| • |
Insulation
torn |
|
|
| Scrubbing
is Serendipitous |
| • |
A
number of factors affect performance in a given
individual and from person to person: |
| |
| • |
Fatigue |
| • |
Illness |
| • |
Procedural
disruptions |
| • |
Time
constraints |
| • |
Scissor
blades misaligned |
| • |
Instrument
knowledge |
| • |
Experience |
| • |
Work
ethic |
|
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