Sterile conscience and patient danger

[Statdotcom]

I've just started working at an outpatient ophthalmology surgery after 8 years in the hospital OR.

I'm shocked at the lack of sterile conscience and casual attitude about counting sharps when they are used. Is there any way a surgery center might have different rules about these things vs. a hospital?? I'm just trying to get my head around what these people are thinking. Their own policies are so vague and simple, they don't even say when to count, who counts etc..

The tech looked shocked and asked me to repeat myself when I insisted on counting the needles at the end of a case.

The nurses actually don't cover their hair at the end of the day in the OR when the last patient has left.

I have been told to do many wrong things like: push a (sterile) draped stand up against a wall, pick up a syringe out of a sterile field, shake it above the field (with my bare hands), use it as an eye dropper, and return it to the corner of the field. Lots of things like that.

A LVN zips in when I'm not looking and pours meds for the tech. I have no idea what they did but it's my license on the line?

Please don't tell me to talk to the manager. She is the one who set it up like this, is pressuring me to conform to it, and has been there for 12 years.

The docs don't seem to care. I might lose my job over these issues. I can't do what I know is wrong. Am I over reacting? How do I find out what the actual regs are if they are not supplied to me??

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

AORN standards are your friend. Also, I'd be running, not waiting to lose my job.

[guest655229]

I agree!!! Sterile is sterile, period!! I'd like to know which clinic this is so I can make sure I NEVER go there!!! Sounds awful and unsafe!! Get outta there!! Best of luck!!!