what to say when the RN is contaminating the sterile forceps?

Nurses General Nursing

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when you observe the RN removing sutures, using sterile forceps and suture remover, and she keeps contaminating the forceps by repeatedly touching the patients' gown (deliberately, as if to move it aside), with her gloved (nonsterile) hand touching the incision - what do you say to her?

and rub rub rub back and forth, back and forth across the incision (that is not the way that cleansing an incision was ever taught - first supposed to clean the centre, then each side with a new sterile gauze)

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when you observe the RN removing sutures, using sterile forceps and suture remover, and she keeps contaminating the forceps by repeatedly touching the patients' gown (deliberately, as if to move it aside), with her gloved (nonsterile) hand touching the incision - what do you say to her?

you tell her/him....just say it

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Speak up and say, hey you broke sterile field, let me get you another pair of gloves, etc.... Everyone needs to do their part to decrease hospital acquired infections. If the RN throws an attitude at her, tell you that you and her can discuss it in the morning with management.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

If you have concerns talk to her privately, not in front of the patient. Don't be afraid, just approach in an inquisative way.

Isn't removing sutures a "clean" rather than sterile procedure? (I'm not saying she's not wrong in her technique however).

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Isn't removing sutures a "clean" rather than sterile procedure? (I'm not saying she's not wrong in her technique however).

Depends on what shape the wound's in, and possibly physician preference (we have two that throw hissies if it's not done 'sterile').

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
Depends on what shape the wound's in, and possibly physician preference (we have two that throw hissies if it's not done 'sterile').

Thanks, I didn't know that. Most of the sutures and staples I remove are on incisions closed up, so clean rather than sterile works. Of course I use sterile equipment, but I don't use a sterile drape or even sterile gloves.

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my current manual states the same as I was taught many years ago --

for cleansing an incision - use one gauze sponge per stroke, cleanse incision first, then outward on either side

for sutures -- check the chart for type of suture, put on a mask, prepare the sterile field

yes, I agree that it would be better to speak to her privately and not in front of the patient

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

I have had a doc who wanted gowns, 4 or 5 suture removal kits, etc etc and then a complete occlusive xeroform and 2 ten pack 4 bys with elastoplast tape.

I have had a doc who carried his own scissors in a vest pocket and removed sutures, left it open to air.

I worked for a doc who wanted betadine scrub vertically up and down the incision because the yellow made the black/blue suture stand out better to see.

To the best of my recollection the worst wound infection I ever saw on a post op (not trauma) was from doc # 1.

With all the cruddy fuzzy bugs out there if I were the patient I think I'd want to go home and take out my own stitches. JMHO.

http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/pubfiles/af/qtp/qtp4n0x1-2/qtp4n0x1-2.pdf

Small addition here. This is from the training manual at Shepherd AFB making reference earlier to the Lippencott Manual for Nursing Procedures.

You will need adobe reader to open this. But the procedure is listed on page 29 of the site.

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