Please tell me I am not wrong!

[GMSinCA]

I work at an outpatient surgery center (physician owned). The other day one of the doctors had the nurse feed him during the surgery. She had fruit in her pocket, and would literally lift up his mask and feed him during the procedure. I know this is wrong! I work with this doctor tomorrow, and have prepared myself to say no if he asks me to do the same thing. Again, I know it is wrong I just need a little validation to give me strength tomorrow!

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

That is simply in violation of OSHA, flat out. They *must* give you a 15 minute (paid) break for every 4 hours that you work, *and* half an hour (does not have to be paid) for lunch. They are not allowed to say they don't like it, it's a federal law.

If I remember correctly, Scrubby is in Australia, therefore OSHA does not apply.

[neenrn]

I wonder what the infection rates are for those cases where staff are eating over open wounds/incisions. I would not feed anyone in the OR. Here in the US hospital aquired infections are not reimbursed for the cost of that care. Thankfully my facilty would fire and most likely go after the license of anyone who did feed someone in the OR. We have safe staffing levels and everyone gets a break, the exception being spinal surgery during the implant phase, and VP Shunts (approx 1.5 hr long procedure) Breaks are planned around the longer procedures so the scrub can be relieved for a break at a point that is not critical to that procedure ... Patient care comes first at my facility.

[PetiteOpRN]

First of all, no one is fed over the wounds/incisions. The scrub steps away from the field and the circulator slips something into the mask. In my case, I feed small sips/bites to the patient, or hand them small bites so they can feed themselves.

Our infection rates are not any higher than specialties where patients do not eat during the procedure. I do not have numbers with me, but will look it up and post later.

[boopette]

I agree that proper judgement comes into play. We all know that food is not permitted in the OR. The surgeon would have to be on the verge of fainting and passing out on the operative field in order for me to feed him/her. Otherwise, yes they are perfectly capable of scrubbing out and taking a breather for a few minutes. Especially during long cases.

[Sister Fox]

I'm sorry but there is no excuse for food being in an OR.

Try telling that to the anaesthetic staff!

I don't know about you but I've been in working in the OR long enough to be confident in bringing food and drink in and not contaminating the sterile field.

Hear, hear, Scrubby! There are always occasions when there is no-one else able to do this particular case for a variety of reasons. And I've always felt that someone who has to be so cut and dried about what is good practice has to be lacking a little in versatility like lateral thinking! I worked to what was safe and best all the time but does everything need to be written down in black and white, for pity's sake?

I wonder what the infection rates are for those cases where staff are eating over open wounds/incisions.

What? Who ever said any such thing?

We have safe staffing levels and everyone gets a break

Then you are most fortunate, my friend. I had an occasion when, having worked an eight hour late shift, I was on call for the night and ended up being scrubbed up from 10.30pm until 5am with a complex trauma case. Being the on-call for the orthopaedic theatre, there was no-one to relieve either me or the surgeon. We were both extremely grateful that the floor nurses brought us in drinks and wine gums from time to time.

Patient care comes first at my facility.

And by that you assume it doesn't with us?

[Scrubby]

I wonder what the infection rates are for those cases where staff are eating over open wounds/incisions. I would not feed anyone in the OR. Here in the US hospital aquired infections are not reimbursed for the cost of that care. Thankfully my facilty would fire and most likely go after the license of anyone who did feed someone in the OR. We have safe staffing levels and everyone gets a break, the exception being spinal surgery during the implant phase, and VP Shunts (approx 1.5 hr long procedure) Breaks are planned around the longer procedures so the scrub can be relieved for a break at a point that is not critical to that procedure ... Patient care comes first at my facility.

As I've said many a time already, scrubbing out is a big no no. There is nothing under any OHWS law that covers this. If we do eat or drink we step back from the field and someone shoves it under our mask. Saying people are eating over open wounds/incisions is overexaggerating.

Is it an ideal situation? No of course not. But us minions have to follow the policies of the hospital and that means that unless you are about to hit the floor, you don't scrub out.

As for people getting fired for food/drink in the OR, we don't fire people at the drop of a hat here in Australial