reprocessed items back at a fraction of the original cost," says Jered E.
Beaird, RN, BSN, CNOR, OIC, who manages OR logistics at the Keesler
Air Force Base Medical Center in Biloxi, Miss.
Reuse is also recycling when surgical supplies that went unused find
new purposes. A sterile drape that was opened but did not make con-
tact with the patient can be saved for use as a stretcher sheet, for
instance. Or "use gowns and gloves from packs that were opened
prior to the patient coming in the room, that are not needed (wrong
size or extra), in the endoscopy procedure room," says Patricia S.
Mayo, RN, BSN, CNOR, CAPA, director of perioperative services at
Taylor Regional Hospital in Hawkinsville, Ga.
One frequently cited concern among the environmentally minded is
the problem of blue wrap. "Sterile tray wrap is a big waste of materi-
al," says Ed Harrich,
RN, director of surgi-
cal services for
Pullman (Wash.)
Regional Hospital. It's
even stumped Ms.
Neiderer's Green
Team. "To be honest,
the only thing we
haven't found a recy-
cling source for is our
blue wrappers," she
says.
But blue wrap has a
silver lining in reuse.
"We use our used blue
wraps (removed from
8 2
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 | January 2015
