the gash, but a blood test revealed no infection. I was lucky.
The incident served as a valuable learning experience, one that
provided me with lessons I remember to this day: Always know
where sharps are located, from the time they're needed to the
moment they're disposed of, and always look before you reach.
2
Keep the sterile field organized
Sharps should always be easily visible and placed where they
are at no risk to you or anyone who reaches onto the Mayo
stand or back table. To help keep track of where sharps are at all times,
place them in standardized spots, no matter what kind of case you're
working. Managing the same setup — needles here, blades there — lets
you know intuitively where to reach and where to avoid. Keep very few
sharps on the Mayo stand; store them instead on the back table.
3
Maintain eye contact
You know surgeons will keep their gaze on the surgical site
when passing, so it's your responsibility to watch sharps to
ensure they're handled correctly. Keeping direct eye contact on the
sharp — never pass a sharp while looking at the back table, which
I've seen done — lets you meet the surgeon's hand to place or remove
items in a safe way.
Using a neutral zone for hands-free passing is an added precaution,
as long as the surgeon and the surgical team agree on where on the
sterile field the zone will be located and verbally confirm it before the
case begins. Some teams pass sharps through a basin, but surgeons
and techs have to reach into it to remove items, a practice that could
increase the risk of injury.
Surgeons should say "SHARP BACK" or "KNIFE ON THE MAYO STAND" when
passing items back to assistants, although some docs are more vocal
than others. You can set a positive example by always announcing the
items you pass to surgeons. A lot of the verbal communication that
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