Learning to scrub..help...

Fun2, BSN, RN · May 25, 2009

See if you can get a copy of your facility's count sheets for some of the sets often used, such as a major set, minor set, etc...

Then, you can either try to take pics of those instruments at your work, or look up pics online.

The more you use them at work, the more you will learn them, though. Good luck! :)

ShariDCST · May 25, 2009

OK...I'm an RN that has worked in the OR for a year and a half (love it). Well, I finally think soon I am going to get some scrub instruction. I'm smart and all of that but I like to study up before I do something. Are there any online programs, websites, books with instructional CD's that will help me with learning instruments, technique, etc, so I don't feel like such a boob? I would really appreciate any info you can pass on! Thanks!!

Check out the website for The Association of Surgical Technologists - www.ast.org. They have a wealth of information available in the form of books, study guides, DVDs - one in particular covers the most basic functions of being a "scrubbed" individual, including the acts of scrubbing, gowning and gloving yourself, and gowning and gloving the rest of the team, and basic asepsis in general. Also check with any large scale bookstores in the biggest metro area you can get to - many times they carry some of the specialty books and resources that we use. A very good pocket-sized instrument reference book may just be one of the most useful things you can find. If nothing like this is available near you, check Amazon - I promise it's all there.

If you have CSTs on staff - talk with them and see if they have any materials they would let you borrow to study from, or even if any of them would be willing to tutor you on the basics. I've done that dozens of times, both formally and informally, and since that's what we DO, as long as the person you go to does it well, they might be some of your best resources.

Talk with your OR Clinical Education person too - there should be someone in charge of Clinical Education there who may have resources at his/her disposal for you to borrow and learn from.

If there is a locally-based CST training program at a community college nearby, the instructors there might be able to help you also.

Learning the instruments is one of the more time-consuming processes involved, and since they tend to be divided up into particular specialties such as General, GYN, Ortho, Vascular, Eye, and so on - with many subdivisions depending on the particular procedure involved; you may not become exposed to them unless you work in that particular service for any length of time. Concentrate on the most basic instruments that are pretty common to most sets, like basic forceps, scissors, clamps and retractors, and add from there. Working with Instrument processing people - in whatever your facility calls that department - can be very educational.

Just remember - nobody walks in fresh from the street and knows this stuff - our program alone is two years - one of which is spent concentrating specifically on the basic skills and services, and many hundreds of hours of formal clinical time - so don't be too hard on yourself if you don't remember everything right off the bat. Our last semester was spent 4 days a week from 7 to 3 working in the ORs of our assigned clinical site, and classes on Friday, and this was after two other semesters of two and three days a week respectively, in addition to class work on every other weekday we weren't in the hospital ORs. It comes with time and practice - just like learning how to be a good nurse does. Our instructor told us - and she was right on the money - that it would take us at least a whole YEAR AFTER graduation once on the job before we would start feeling very comfortable and confident about our jobs. I didn't believe it at the time - I'm a very intelligent individual, and thought surely she meant a whole year for those who didn't catch on quite so fast! BUT - I was surprised and a little chagrinned to find out she meant ALL of us!

Good luck with your new role - hope you love it like I did!

MereSanity · May 26, 2009

Thanks for the great info! I am looking for a book/CD that I can learn from. I am also reviewing the instruments in my free time (lol). I have found a few good websites that have the instruments with pictures and descriptions. I love my job and can't wait to explore this new role :loveya:

muffin7 · May 28, 2009

Can you give me the websites you found. I would really appreciate it.

Good Luck!!! :yeah: