OPERATING

ROOM
OR Environment & OR Team Members
Operating Room (OR)

The operating room or operating theater is a room specifically used by

surgical and anesthesia team to carry out surgeries.
Operating room must not be used for other purposes.
 PRINCIPLES OF ASEPTIC
TECHNIQUE
1. All articles used in an operation have been sterilized
previously.
2. Sterile persons touch only sterile articles, unsterile persons
touch only unsterile articles.
3. If there is any doubt about the sterility of an object, it is
considered unsterile
4. Sterile items that are below the waist level, or items held
below waist level, are considered to be unsterile.
5. Gowns are considered sterile only from the
waist to shoulder level in front and in the sleeves.
6. Unsterile persons avoid reaching over a sterile field; sterile
persons should avoid leaning over an unsterile area.
 
 cont...
7. Sterile persons keep well within the sterile area.
Unsterile persons keep away from sterile area.
8. The edge of anything that encloses sterile contents is not
considered sterile.
9. Any puncture, moisture or tear that passes through a sterile
barrier must be considered contaminated.
10. Movements around and in the sterile field must not
compromise or contaminate the sterile field.
11. When bacteria cannot be eliminated from
a field they must be kept to an irreduceable minimum.
 SURGICAL ENVIRONMENT

Unrestricted Area

street clothes are allowed

Unrestricted Area
Semirestricted Area

attire consists of scrub

clothes and caps
Restricted Area

Scrub clothes, OR shoes/shoe

covers, caps, and masks are
worn.
The surgeons and other
surgical team members wear
additional sterile clothing and
protective devices during
surgery
 OR Set Up
Every operating room
must have the following
characteristics:
 Proper lighting
 Good ventilation
 Proper equipment for procedures
 Equipment to monitor patients as
needed for the procedure
 Drugs and other consumables
required for routine and emergency
use
Roles and Responsibilities of OR Team
Members
The team is divided into two divisions according to the
function of its members.
1. Sterile OR team: operating
surgeon, assistants to the
surgeon and scrub person

2. Unsterile OR team:
anesthesiologist or nurse
anesthetist, circulating nurse
and other OR members that
might be needed in
operating specialized
machine or devices.
Sterile Operating Room Team
The members of the OR sterile team
will do the following things:
1. Wears complete surgical attire.
2. Perform surgical hand washing
(arms are included).
3. Don sterile gowns and gloves.
4. Enters the sterile field.
5. Handles sterile items only.
6. Functions only within a limited area
(sterile field).
Sterile Operating Room Team
The members of the OR sterile team
will do the following things:
1.Perform surgical hand washing
(arms are included).
2. Don sterile gowns and gloves.
3. Enter the sterile field.
4. Handles sterile items only.
5. Functions only within a limited are
a (sterile field).
6. Wear mask.
Surgeon
Surgeons treat injuries, diseases, and deformities
through operations. Using a variety of
instruments, a surgeon corrects physical
deformities, repairs bone and tissue after injuries,
or performs preventive or elective surgeries on
patients.

Responsibilities of a surgeon:

1.Preoperative diagnosis and care of

the patient
2. Performance of the surgical
procedure
3. Postoperative management of
care
Assistants to Surgeon
A surgical first assistant, also referred to as a surgical
assistant or simply, first assist, works closely with
surgeons in the operating room during a surgical
procedure. They anticipate the needs of the surgical
team and during an operation, assist the surgeon with
tasks such as selecting equipment, holding open
incisions, stopping bleeding, closing the incision, among
other technical tasks.

1.Help maintain the visibility of the surgical site

2. Control bleeding
3. Close wounds
4. Apply dressings
5. Handles tissues
6. Uses instruments
Scrub Nurse
A scrub person could be the following:

 Registered Nurse
 Surgical technologist
 Licensed practical/vocational nurse

The responsibility of a scrub person is to

maintain the integrity, safety and efficiency

of the sterile field throughout the surgical

procedure.
 Unsterile Operating Room Team
The unsterile operating room members are not allowed to enter the sterile field
to prevent contamination. The responsibilities of the members of this team are
the following:

 Handle supplies and equipment that are considered unsterile.

 Touches unsterile surfaces only.
 Keep the sterile team supplied with supplies handled aseptically.
 Give direct patient care.
 Assist the sterile team member’s need with strict observation of
avoiding contact to the sterile field.

Handles other requirements arising during the surgical procedure.

 Anesthesiologist

An anesthesiologist is a perioperative
physician. An anesthesiologist is
responsible for patient care throughout
the surgical experience: before, during,
and after the surgery itself.
 Circulating Nurse

A circulator is preferably a registered nurse. However, in some cases a

surgical technologist can perform the role of a circulator with the direct
supervision from a registered nurse.
Orderlies
Hospital orderlies assist with the
provision of care to patients in a
hospital by ensuring wards are
neat and tidy, lifting and turning
patients and transporting them in
wheelchairs or on movable beds,
and providing direct care and
support.
sources
https://www.ivyleaguenurse.com/courses/OR_Protocol.pdf