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M A R C H 2 0 1 6 | 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
It's a simple process. After a nurse unpacks the items she's pulled
for a case, she examines the blue wraps and peel packs for pinholes
or shelf-slices by holding them up to the ceiling lights (or over the
prep table, if it's one of those that light up). If she can see light
through it, sterility isn't guaranteed.
When I used to do this as an OR nurse, the other nurses and even
the surgeons looked at me like I was crazy. They'd been told, "It's dou-
ble-wrapped, it's good." Now I save sheets of blue wrap for in-services
and ask staff members, "Was this package compromised?" Once they
started seeing the holes, it was a huge a-ha moment and it became
their practice. They started seeing holes even I wouldn't have seen.
Sue Hrnicek, RN, BSN
Columbus (Neb.)
Community Hospital
sehrnicek@columbushosp.org
