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ty scalpels less objectionable and, in many cases, more appealing to surgeons.
6. Appreciate their perspective
Doesn't it make sense that surgeons want to work with scalpels that have the
feel, quality and precision of the instruments they currently use? It's also under-
standable that surgeons might be reluctant to make deep tissue cuts with shield-
ed safety scalpels, which can obstruct their view of exactly where the blade
needs to slice and impede their access to the area. However, there's no reason
why surgeons shouldn't use safety scalpels to make initial incisions through the
outer layer of skin. Ask them to first try using safety blades for those cuts. It's a
good starting point that will get surgeons used to the feel of the devices,
increase their confidence in how they perform in practice, and it might ultimate-
ly lead to increased acceptance and usage.
OSM
Mr. Stoker (ron@isips.org) is founder and
executive director of the International Sharps
Injury Prevention Society in Salt Lake City, Utah.
