how to stay warm in the OR?

Specialties CRNA

Published

I am fascinated with nurse anesthesia; I was just accepted to a CRNA program to start this August. One of the things I wonder about are ways that CRNAs stay warm in the OR - what is sterile and acceptable?

Wear long underwear under your scrubs.

build a campfire and roast marshmallows.

build a campfire and roast marshmallows.

While the advent of our newer volatile agents have drastically reduced the risk of explosion in the OR, it is still not acceptable practice to have an open flame in the OR.

When using cautery around the airway, one most be cautious and limited the FiO2 low as safely possible. Remember N2O2 is an oxidizer too. This is especially important when using cautery around the face of a patient receiving O2 via facemask or Nasal cannula. Care must be used to ensure O2 is not trapped under the towels covering the face. Having a container of water handy is not a bad idea either.

If you are not already doing it, Fire Safety will be added to the "TIME OUT" procedure in the not too distant future.

Some people sneak snacks into the OR, but eating in the OR is not "allowed" JACHO would beat up pretty good if they saw food in the OR, especially the sticky mess a roasted marshmallow would make.

Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.
While the advent of our newer volatile agents have drastically reduced the risk of explosion in the OR, it is still not acceptable practice to have an open flame in the OR.

When using cautery around the airway, one most be cautious and limited the FiO2 low as safely possible. Remember N2O2 is an oxidizer too. This is especially important when using cautery around the face of a patient receiving O2 via facemask or Nasal cannula. Care must be used to ensure O2 is not trapped under the towels covering the face. Having a container of water handy is not a bad idea either.

If you are not already doing it, Fire Safety will be added to the "TIME OUT" procedure in the not too distant future.

Some people sneak snacks into the OR, but eating in the OR is not "allowed" JACHO would beat up pretty good if they saw food in the OR, especially the sticky mess a roasted marshmallow would make.

The Joint Commission sure knows how to ruin our fun. In all my years of OR campfires, I can count on one hand the number of patients who have caught on fire, and have only gotten marshmallow goo inside a few open abdomens.

love this post so much

You can do this but you will spend the whole case having the doctor, fellow, pa, scrub tech etc asking you to turn the air down. People don't truly understand how hot it gets until they have actually scrubbed.

I've never been particularly cold in the OR as a nurse (I don't circulate but I do "baby side" on c/s when I work as an RN), as long as I wear my scrub jacket. But OMG, more than once I've had sweat dripping down my face and clouding my eye shield when I used to scrub in for first assist.

layers and layers

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