Definition
Draping a trolley is a critical step to establish and maintain a sterile field for instruments, supplies, and equipment. This is especially important in pediatric and neonatal care, where infection prevention is paramount.
The procedure of covering the operation room trolley with sterile drapes to create and maintain a sterile field for arranging sterile linen, instruments and supplies designated for performing the surgery.
Purposes
- To create a sterile field for carrying out surgical operation.
- To ensure successful barrier against bacterial invasion of surgical wound.
Articles
- Instrument trolleys
- Mayo stand.
- Basin stand/Ring stand.
- Square trolley.
- Sterile supplies. Gown pack, drape pack, instrument set, sterile set, other sterile packages as per the procedure.
Procedure
| Nursing Action | Rationale | |
| 1 | Acquire information regarding the operation to be performed and the operation team. | This step is essential for both the scrub and circulatory nurse to ensure the adequate |
| 2 | Perform hand washing. Don the surgical cap and mask | Surgical cap covers the hair completely and mask snuggly fits the nose and mouth to prevent possible contamination of the sterile area. |
| 3 | Damp dust the operating room using the duster dipped in carbolic solution as per agency policy. Perform unless this has already been done by personnel on the previous shift. Damp dust the operating room overhead light first, then the operating table. Work from the center of the room to the perimeter (outer line) | Dey dusting and mopping is never done in the operating room because it raises dust that contains bacteria Start with the tallest equipment and work down since this method helps the settling of airborne microorganisms. |
| 4 | Concurrent with dusting, check equipment, arrange furniture as per the operating team requirement, and restock supplies. Ensure air conditioning, lighting and power supply are adequate. Check proper functioning of operating table, accessories, light and cautery machine. Connect and check suction apparatus to electric source and check central suction equipment, the electrosurgical unite and other pieces of equipment in the operating room whether they are to be used. Ensure that the kick buckets/ waste disposal containers are lined with plastic bags.Check the supply cabinets for stock. Restock, if necessary. Check the scrub area for hand wash supplies and working pedal flow or taps. | Ensure a favorable working environment for an uninterrupted surgical procedure |
| 5 | Wet vacuum the floor using a disinfectant prescribed by local policy. | |
| 6 | Discuss with the scrub the sterile supplies needed for the case and then bring the supplies into the room. The surgeon’s preference card will list types and size of suture needed for the procedure. follow the common arrangement of sterile supplies The linen or drape pack on the large instrument table (back table). the gown pack on the prep table.The mayo tray on the mayo Stand.The sterile basin set in to the ring stand. The instrument set on a ring stand or table. Put sterile package that the scrub will not need immediately (such as suction tubing and culture tubes) on the utility table and open them after the scrub has prepared a space for them. | Proper arrangement ensures the maintenance of sterile fields and helps in easy handling of articles. |
| 7 | Scrub nurse Check the operating room schedule for the day. Perform medical hand washing, don cap and mask (it is only after ensuring the proper arrangement of the OR that the scrub nurse should go for surgical hand washing and don the scrub suit to perform other duties.) Obtain the surgeon’s preference card and check the suture that is required for each case. ensure and countercheck with the circulatory nurse that the overall arrangement is in accordance with the procedure to be performed by the operating team. | A coordinated involvement with the circulatory nurse and countercheck of the arrangement. |
| 8 | Receive patient from control desk or reception to operating room. |
Special points
- All personnel working in the operation theater uses special dresses and shoes, which are kept for use only for the time of theater work.
- Anyone entering inside the theater after carbolizing, should wear cap and mask along with the theater gown/dress.
- If the instruments were not wrapped and sterilized on the preceding shift, ensure that instrument sets are placed in the autoclave
REFERENCES
- Annamma Jacob, Rekha, Jhadav Sonali Tarachand: Clinical Nursing Procedures: The Art of Nursing Practice, 5th Edition, March 2023, Jaypee Publishers, ISBN-13: 978-9356961845 ISBN-10: 9356961840
- Omayalachi CON, Manual of Nursing Procedures and Practice, Vol 1, 3 Edition 2023, Published by Wolters Kluwer’s, ISBN: 978-9393553294
- Sandra Nettina, Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice, 11th Edition, January 2019, Published by Wolters Kluwers, ISBN-13:978-9388313285
- Adrianne Dill Linton, Medical-Surgical Nursing, 8th Edition, 2023, Elsevier Publications, ISBN: 978-0323826716
- Donna Ignatavicius, Medical-Surgical Nursing: Concepts for Clinical Judgment and Collaborative Care, 11th Edition ,2024, Elsevier Publications, ISBN: 978-0323878265
- Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing, 12th Edition,2024, Elsevier Publications, ISBN: 978-0323789615
- AACN Essentials of Critical Care Nursing, 5th Ed. Sarah. Delgado, 2023, Published by American Association of Critical-Care Nurses ISBN: 978-1264269884
- Ernstmeyer K, Christman E, editors. Nursing Fundamentals [Internet]. 2nd edition. Eau Claire (WI): Chippewa Valley Technical College; 2024. PART IV, NURSING PROCESS. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK610818/
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