RockRN

A sterile set up should NEVER be covered, as stipulated by AORN (Recommended Practices, 2010).

according to aorn (recommended practices, 2010), there is no specific amount of time that a sterile field is considered usable after set up; it is event related. however, an open sterile field should be continually monitored by authorized or personnel to ensure that the set up is not contaminated. obviously, a case should not be set up until it is absolutely necessary. common sense should be used. however, if there is a delay of 2, 4, 6 hours, etc., just monitor the set up, limit traffic in/out of the room, monitor environmental controls, etc. finally, remember that your vigilance and practice of surgical conscience is for the good of the patient.

yes, it's worth it. it's amazing to me how many nurses talk about money incentive. i realize that having some incentive is nice, and yes, it does cost several hundreds of dollars to prepare for and take the cnor exam. however, try to think more about the personal and professional benefits versus how much extra $$$ you may or may not get from your employer or how much it costs to take the exam! i've even heard nurses in the operating room talk about the cnor being a waste of time and how it doesn't make you a better nurse, etc. well, i couldn't disagree more. every nurse--regardless of the area in which he or she practices--should strive for certification. it doesn't matter if you get more money for it or whether or not your employer pays for you to take the exam. achieving certification gives you a personal sense of accomplishment and i would argue that overall it does make you a "better" nurse. it also makes you more marketable and you will stand out as a leader when you attain and maintain certification. ultimately, it makes you a better patient advocate and it helps move you towards the role of nurse expert. p.s. as a side note...i have found that nurses who bash and put down the cnor (or any other type of professional certification) usually do so because they feel professionally threatened by nurses who have certification. also, nurses typically down play certification because they're afraid they won't pass the exam and/or are too lazy to put the time and effort into studying.