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S H A R P S
S A F E T Y
"Even if safety blades don't have the same feel of standard scalpels, it's safer
for all of us if surgeons use them, at the very least, to make the initial
incision. They just have to get used to something new."
— Donna Ford, MSN, RN-BC, CNOR
protective sheaths are easier to engage with a single hand or slide over
blades automatically, and some handles are weighted like conventional
scalpels — so have your surgeons give them another look if they've been
unimpressed by previous generations.
The overall safety culture at your facility also impacts your surgeons'
opinions of safety scalpels. Initiate safety scalpel trials and encourage
their use at the front line. Have surgeons practice handling the latest
options before taking them into the OR — they might be surprised at
how useful they are in practice. Even if safety blades don't have the
same feel of standard scalpels, it's safer for us all if surgeons use them,
at the very least, to make the initial incision. They just have to get used
to something new. OSM
Ms. Ford (ford.donna@mayo.edu) is a nursing education specialist and
assistant professor of nursing at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
On the Web
Access AORN's Sharps Safety Tool Kit at:
tinyurl.com/9ws7peg (membership required).
J A N U A R Y 2013 | 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
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