O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 6 1
as knee arthroscopies. Many products are available to keep your floors safe
and dry, including drapes with pockets that capture runoff, and floor wicking
pads and suction devices that quickly clean up spills.
Absorbent mats work well, but not all mats automatically filter away collect-
ed fluid. Direct-to-drain systems are perhaps the ideal fluid-collection option.
These automated units
collect excess fluid
straight from the surgi-
cal site to keep OR
floors bone dry. When
it's time to dispose of
fluid, nurses wheel the
mobile collection units
to a docking station,
where fluid is automat-
ically drained without
exposing the nurses to
infectious waste. Keep
in mind, too, that nurs-
es don't have to
remove and replace
containers filled with
fluid waste during
cases and carry them
to the hopper for dis-
posal. That's a poten-
tially dangerous chore
that heightens back
injury and tripping
