1 2 3
A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 | O U T P AT 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
Paula Watkins, RN, CNOR
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Weathering the Surgical Forecast
Going to OR 1? Bring an umbrella.
W
hat if surgery got the Weather Channel treatment and
minute-by-minute projections of climate conditions in each
OR?
It's sunny and cool for the circulator and scrub in OR 1. They're
working with the surgeon they love, and they've pulled all the supplies
they need. Everyone is chattering and smiling. Too bad you're not
assigned to that case. You're not in OR 3, either, where it's so warm that
the patient isn't buried under 10 blankets while awaiting induction. In
contrast, it's rain-forest sweaty in OR 4. It wasn't like that before the
case: When you
recorded the temp and
humidity, they were
within the regulatory
range (as defined by
someone who's proba-
bly never worked in an
OR). But the thermo-
stat is electronic,
which means it has a
mind of its own. You
call maintenance —
and leave a message,
because they're not in
yet.
Drought conditions
in OR 2, where a "get
me the heck out of
here" case slogs on
The storms have blown
past. I hear someone
humming "Somewhere Over
the Rainbow" in OR 1.
