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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | 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
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ou could be jeopardizing patient safety if you keep the humidity level in your
ORs too low. As you may know, the Association for the Advancement of
Medical Instrumentation lowered the allowable lower humidity parameter for
operating rooms from 30% to 20% in 2013. But now comes a warning that relative
humidity levels lower than 30% can impact the integrity and functionality of some
sterile supplies and electrosurgical equipment.
"The lower [humidity] level can actually harm the integrity of the products [you]
use," says the multisociety warning (tinyurl.com/n75mzyq).
• Sterile supplies. Relative humidity can impact the shelf life and product
integrity of sterile supplies. Some products, such as biological indicators and chem-
ical indicators used for sterilization monitoring and EKG electrodes used for patient
monitoring, call for a humidity level of 30% or higher and are very sensitive to
humidity, says the warning, noting that EKG electrodes are in foil pouches primari-
ly to protect against changes in external humidity levels.
• Electrosurgical equipment. Relative humidity may affect the operation of
some electrosurgical equipment, particularly causing older equipment to malfunc-
tion unexpectedly. Too-low humidity levels may also impact calibration. And in an
environment where humidity is low, a person can more easily become "charged"
and receive an electrostatic shock when coming in contact with medical equip-
ment.
Check manufacturers' recommendations for humidity in areas where you store
and use medical supplies and electrical equipment, says Ramona Conner, MSN,
RN, CNOR, editor-in-chief of AORN's Guidelines for Perioperative Practice. If you
decide to maintain humidity levels below 30%, consider moving supplies that call
for humidity levels of 30% or higher to a humidity-controlled closet, she adds.
— Kendal Gapinski
RELATIVE HUMIDITY LEVELS
Dangers of Letting OR Humidity Dip Below 30%
