PROTECTIVE GEARS USED IN HOSPITAL AND THEATRES.pptx

Protective gears

1. PROTECTIVE GEARS IN THE OR

2. Objectives By the end of the lesson the learner should be able to; Identify protective gears used in operating room. Understand the functions of the protective gears found in the operating room.

3. PROTECTIVE GEARS Specialized  clothing  or  equipment   used by workers ( e.g. medical services personnel) to protect themselves from direct exposure to blood or other potentially hazardous materials to avoid injury or disease . Examples of protective gears in OR. Gloves Theatre gowns Face masks Surgical caps Scrubs Eye wears

4. PROTECTIVE GEARS Eye wears. Glasses or face shields are worn to protect an individual from blood or body substances or fluids (e.g. bone chips or pus) splashing from the patient into the surgical team’s eyes.

5. Eye protection includes: Goggles and eye glasses with side and top protection Anti-fog goggles to fit over prescription eyeglasses Laser eye wear to protect against laser beams Eye wear that becomes contaminated, even during a surgical procedure, should be cleaned, or discarded and replaced as soon as possible, to prevent dripping onto the face or masks.

6. Gloves Non sterile gloves are normally made of latex or vinyl. Policies regarding the wearing of gloves vary between hospitals (Petty et al , 2005), however, essential elements should include: Wash hands before and after wearing gloves. Wear gloves when handling contaminated items.

7. Only wear gloves when required, not during periods of non-contact with contaminated items. Gloves shouldn’t be washed; they should be removed if contaminated. Clean items should not be handled with soiled gloves.

8. Selection of surgical gloves worn during specific procedures depends on the following : Length of the surgical procedure. Type of surgical procedure. The need to double-glove. Stresses to which the glove is exposed. Chemical exposure to the gloves during the surgical procedure. Caregiver and patient sensitivity. Individual preference.

9. Theatre scrubs Theatre scrubs can include single piece overalls or shirts and trousers. Staff should put the shirt on first and tuck it inside the trousers to prevent shedding of bacteria or skin flakes , avoid touching the sterile areas. Should be changed as soon as possible whenever it becomes wet or visibly soiled. Wear a plastic apron when cleaning operating rooms .

10. Headwear The purpose of headwear is to cover all hair to prevent contamination of wounds from hair and dandruff falling from heads and beards or moustaches (Goodman & Spry 2014). Surgical caps, hats and hoods are normally lint free, disposable, non-porous and nonwoven. Practitioners can wear reusable woven hats, but they need to clean them daily.

11. Footwear Theatre shoes come in various formats, including clogs, leather slip-on shoes, plastic shoes and canvas shoes. The essential criteria include regular cleaning, removal if contaminated, protection against heavy equipment and insulated soles. Theatre footwear should be well fitting, supportive, and protective and enclose the whole foot. The purpose of the footwear is to protect the staff member from falling equipment, spillages and infection (BSI 2004).

12. Surgical masks Surgical masks are soft and made of fine synthetic materials. M ask is worn in the restricted area to contain and filter droplets containing microorganisms expelled from the mouth and nasopharynx during breathing, talking, sneezing , and coughing. Masks also help protect practitioners against inhaling surgical smoke or foreign particles from the air.

13. M asks should cover the mouth and nose; however, fluid shields can also be attached to masks to protect against splashing of fluids into the eyes (AORN 2012). There are various types of surgical masks available and practitioners need to choose the correct mask depending on the environmental conditions during the surgery.

14. To prevent cross-infection , personnel should do the following: Handle the mask only by the strings, thereby keeping the facial area of a fresh mask clean and the hands uncontaminated by a soiled mask. Do not handle the mask excessively . Never lower the mask to hang loosely around the neck, never place the mask on top of the head, and never place the mask in a pocket. Avoid disseminating microorganisms. Promptly discard the mask into the proper receptacle on removal. Remask with a fresh mask between patients. Change the mask frequently. Do not permit the mask to become wet. Limit talking to a minimum.

15. Surgical Gown A sterile gown is worn over the scrub suit to permit the wearer to enter the sterile field. It prevents contamination between the wearer and the field and differentiates sterile from non-sterile team members. The gown should provide a protective barrier from strike-through. Remove soiled gown as soon as possible, and perform hand hygiene.

16. Criteria for Surgical Attire. Surgical attire should be as follows: An effective barrier to microorganisms. The design and composition should minimize microbial shedding . The garment should meet National Fire Protection Association standards (NFPA-56A), including; R esistance to flame. Resistant to blood, fluids, and abrasion to prevent penetration by microorganisms

17. Designed for maximum skin coverage. Hypoallergenic, cool, and comfortable. Non-generative of lint. Lint can increase the particle count of contaminants in the OR. Made of a pliable material to permit freedom of movement for the practice of sterile technique. Able to transmit heat and water vapor to protect the wearer. Colored to reduce glare under lights. Easy to don and remove.

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