so in some states it
can be disposed of in
the regular waste
stream and in some
states, it cannot," says
Ms. Wasserman. "The
benefit of either prod-
uct, though, is that
each minimizes the
risk to staff of expo-
sure to the blood-
borne pathogens."
Consider all options
What works best in one situation might fall short in another.
Maureen Simpson, RN, CNOR, a clinical manager at the Rye (N.Y.)
Surgical Center, had to experiment to accommodate the challenges
posed by surgeons who frequently repositioned limbs during surgery,
thereby redirecting fluid away from pre-positioned drapes and collec-
tion bags and onto the floor.
But floor suction mats turned out to be cumbersome, she says.
"The last one we used, we were tripping over, because it was on the
floor connected to the suction canisters." Add a potential tripping
hazard to a slippery floor and you've doubled the chance that a seri-
ous mishap will occur.
Disposable floor mats made from a heavy cotton material turned out
to be the better answer, she says. "We tape them down, so they don't
move," says Ms. Simpson. "They do a good job of collecting fluid in
that one area, instead of letting it spread out all over."
OSM
3
1 0 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J u l y 2 0 1 8
• SEEING RED Are you sure that's really red bag waste? Be sure your staff knows
the difference between hazardous waste and normal disposal.
