1 2 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • A P R I L 2 0 1 9
O
ur nurses and techs used to
crawl around on their
hands and knees in search
of a suture needle missing from the
final count. Not only were we at risk
of a needlestick, but these tiny nee-
dles were extremely difficult to find.
Now we stand upright when we
search for a missing needle, rolling a
magnetic sweeper across the OR
floor to find fallen needles. When the
sweeper picks up a needle (or a
blade or any other sharp), we use
tape to remove it to guard against
getting stuck. You can buy a magnet-
ic needle finder from a surgical ven-
dor for about $200, or you can pick
one up at your local home improve-
ment store — builders, mechanics
and woodworkers use the sweepers to pick up nails and screws off of
workshop floors.
Stacie Lovellette, CST
Parkview Surgery One
Fort Wayne, Ind.
stacie.lovellette@parkview.com
NEEDLESTICK PREVENTION
Fallen Suture Needles? Let Magnetic
Sweeper Find Them on the OR Floor
Ideas Work
P r a c t i c a l p e a r l s f r o m y o u r c o l l e a g u e s
That
• MAGNETIC ATTRACTION A magnetic sweeper is a
handy tool to have around for fallen suture needles, which
are hard to see and even harder to pick up.
Stacie
Lovellette,
CST