A U G U S T 2 0 1 6 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 5 3
pads or a floor-based suction device that you can easily move with your foot to
where fluid is collecting might fit the bill.
In contrast, shoulder or hip repairs are longer, bloodier procedures that tend to
need a lot of pressure. A hip takes up to 15 3,000 mL bags for 1 case, according to
Mr. Henderson. Devices that collect fluid on the floor clearly won't be sufficient
to keep ORs dry during those procedures.
It's also important to promote staff safety by limiting the surgical team's expo-
sure to fluid waste and heavy lifting. "In the old days, we worked with 16 liter dis-
posable containers," says Ms. Skipper. "Somebody had to dump those out. How
many times did people get splashed?" Taking into account the bad ergonomics of
carrying full canisters, and the time spent suiting up in personal protective equip-
ment to pour their contents down the drain, automated systems seem a bargain
at whatever the cost.
Don't let your fluid waste management solution create other ground-level
problems. Mr. Henderson points out that some fluid-suctioning floor mats
don't extend to the full length of the OR table, and some have a lip at the edge.
"That can be a trip hazard," he says, "and when moving equipment close to the
mat, you end up having to fight with it."
5
Consider costs
Implementing any fluid waste management method comes at a cost,
whether it's the canisters that must be continually purchased and dis-
carded, the solidifying agent that makes your red bag waste more expensive to
ship out, or the plumbing renovations and disposable filters needed for direct-to-
drain suction. But preparing for fluid waste collection and disposal also carries
considerable cost benefits. "Let's say someone slips and falls, and lands on her
knee, breaking her patella — she's going to be out of work for 8 weeks," says
Ms. Wilson. "That'll cost you more than preventive measures for a whole year."
In the long-term view, making a decision on fluid collection and disposal comes
