Case Study 2
Today is Saturday; the staff in the OR is limited. Marcus has been assigned to a femoropopliteal bypass surgery that could take six to eight hours. During the week, the OR staff can expect to be relieved for lunch, but today Marcus knows that is unlikely to happen.
1. What do you think Marcus must do in advance to physically prepare himself for this lengthy procedure?
2. Are there any tips you can give Marcus to reduce the strain on his body while the case is in progress?
3. What are some of the proper body mechanics that Marcus will want to keep in mind prior to any heavy lifting of patients and/or instrument sets?
4. As Marcus exits the room to scrub, he dons safety goggles/eyewear with side shields and a lip over his eyes. Why?
Analyze the Situation
1. As you enter the OR for the first case of the day, you notice condensation on the walls inside the sterile supply cabinet walls. What is the most likely cause? What should you do next?
2. As you are retrieving the local anesthetic syringe, the surgeon reaches to pick it up again. He grasps it, and your glove is pierced. When you are relieved, you find that the patient is a high-risk drug user. What does this mean? Analyze the risk factors and describe what the sequence of events should be from the time you are "stuck."
3. After the placement of the metal implant during the total joint arthroplasty, the patient suffers hypotension and a cardiac arrhythmia. Analyze the situation and identify the possible hazard. Describe other potential health effects from this hazardous substance.