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S H A R P S
S A F E T Y
in sharps safety if you present them with data to show how real the
risks are and how effective even the simplest changes to their practices can be. The AORN Sharps Safety Toolkit contains the evidencebased data they desire.
The scalpel slice
During a routine laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the veteran surgeon
makes the initial incision with a non-safety scalpel and places it back on the
instrument table, with the #11 blade pointed away from the surgical tech.
The tech reaches for additional supplies from the circulating nurse and
doesn't see the knife placement. The tech then passes a trocar to the surgeon, and as she brings her arm back, the knife's point catches on her gown
sleeve and stabs her in the forearm.
T
he surgeon correctly laid the knife down with the blade pointing away from the tech, but placing it in a neutral zone would
have been better because that's where the tech would expect a
knife to be. The tech was clearly distracted by reaching for other sup-
plies, but that's the nature of surgery. Expect distractions to happen
and take necessary precautions to ensure staff is always protected,
especially when working in a busy OR.
Safety scalpel designs that cover blades when the knives aren't in use
would have avoided all the trouble in this situation. Manufacturers have
worked hard to improve the feel and functionality of safety scalpels —
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | J A N U A R Y 2013
