Operating Room Prep: Ensuring Patient Safety & Surgical Readiness

The surgical staff is responsible for operating room preparation. Nurses and surgical technicians work together to ensure the environment is safe and ready to accept the patient before, during and after the surgical procedure.

Significance

• Preparing the operating room requires the surgical equipment be in proper working order, instruments are sterilized, enough sterile drapes are provided and perioperative solutions are available and poured. In addition, floors need to be free from obstacles and spills to prevent injury and slips and lamp height needs to adjusted to avoid head injury of surgical staff.

Time Frame

• Preparation of the operating room needs to be complete before the patient arrives. After the patient enters the surgical suite, the staff needs to focus on preparing him for his procedure. Getting the room ready prior to patient arrival ensures that attention will not be turned away from the patient to tend to last minute room preparations.

Warning

• If operating room preparation is not conducted per hospital policy, the patient and staff risk injury related to electrical fire and infection. Malfunctioning equipment, leaky anesthetic hoses and unsterile fields invite the risk of fire and infection. By checking equipment, ensuring that hoses are not leaking gases and maintaining a sterile environment, operating room occupational hazards can be reduced.