Opening Rooms Before Cases Start

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What is everyone's general feelings on the appropriate amount of time to open a room before actually starting the ca se? I know that everyone quotes "1 hour" but that is the maximum and not the optimum. I would appreciate any reliable references in your answers.

Thanks

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we usually open about 15-20 min prior to bringing the patient in the room. sometimes that gets delayed out to about 30 min. i may be wrong but i think max time to have supplies open is 2 hours prior to patient entry. we are so busy that is just never an issue, so i have forgotten! hope that helps...

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Time is no longer a factor in how long a room can be open. Its the traffic and if you can be sure no one has breached the sterile field. Check with AORN.

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As long as the room has been closed, and no traffic thru the room, there is no

specific time frame. If you have set up a room for a certain case, and that patient gets cancelled before they have left pre-op, it may take another couple of hours to get your next case in and ready, just keep the door taped, and you can at least use many of the items without wasting. As long as a patient hasn't gone inot the room you are okay.

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Time is no longer a factor in how long a room can be open. Its the traffic and if you can be sure no one has breached the sterile field. Check with AORN.

i looked this up at work today and you are absolutely correct. my bad!

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Time is no longer a factor in how long a room can be open. Its the traffic and if you can be sure no one has breached the sterile field. Check with AORN.

I must agree 100%!

The key phrase is "if you can be sure no one has breached the sterile field."

Our practice is the sterile corridor is not left unattended, ie after the room is opened, and the door is shut, the OR area (in our Labor & Delivery Unit) remains under visual surveillance of the tech...just to be sure some idiot doesn't go into the room before the case!

Haze

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As long as the room has been closed, and no traffic thru the room, there is no

specific time frame. If you have set up a room for a certain case, and that patient gets cancelled before they have left pre-op, it may take another couple of hours to get your next case in and ready, just keep the door taped, and you can at least use many of the items without wasting. As long as a patient hasn't gone inot the room you are okay.

I agree with this according to the AORN it is not a time element one must make sure their is no traffic thru the room in the "olden days" we covered the sterile tables with sterile drapes this is no longer done....tape the doors and post signs no entry
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question: how does one improve morale and in these hectic times?

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