D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 1 4 1
systems include digital waste measurement as well as smoke
evacuation. This option is best suited for facilities that do a lot of
fluid-intense procedures.
• Direct-to-drain systems directly suction fluid from an opera-
tion into a wall-mounted unit in the OR that draws all waste
directly into sewage. This method bypasses the need for canis-
ters or fluid carts, but it does require each OR to have an easy
access to plumbing to support installation. Typically, direct-to-
drain systems are best suited for hospitals with high volume and
turnover because they eliminate the need for any additional
transportation of fluid waste. They are, however, the most costly.
— Darlene Hinkle, MSN, RN, CNOR
facility was installing the wall-mounted, built-in port to suction fluid
from the canisters into sewage. However, by no longer having to pay a
medical waste hauler, our system more or less paid for itself in 6
months.
We opted for single-use canisters over reusable ones, which require
cost to reprocess, space in sterile processing and time to clean properly.
With disposable, once we flush the canister, we toss it into regular trash.
The expense of resupplying doesn't even come close to what we were
spending on waste removal before, and by saving on time and effort,
we've become more efficient. Plus, our system uses gravity to drain a
canister, requiring no electric power, which adds to our savings.
Staff safety
In addition to cost, staff safety was an equally pressing concern for us.
When were still using single-use liners in reusable canisters, our
method allowed a number of exposure points along the way. From
opening canisters, removing the fluid-filled liners, sealing them and
