Guidelines to Surgery Labs & Surgical Environment

Comprehensive set of 200 vocabulary flashcards covering surgical lab guidelines, team duties, anesthetic protocols, aseptic scrub and gloving procedures, surface sanitation, and sterilization standards.

Conscientiousness in Surgery Labs

A required mindset of attentiveness, caution, and group teamwork to prevent errors that can cause disastrous consequences to animal patients.

Pre-anesthetic Blood Work Timing

Mandatory blood work performed within $1\text{ week}$ prior to the scheduled surgical procedure.

Lavender Top Blood Sample Tests

Blood sample tube used prior to anesthesia to evaluate Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and Total Protein (TP).

Serum Blood Sample Test

Serum sample used prior to each anesthesia to evaluate Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN).

Pre-op Anesthetic History Check

Check performed the day before surgery by anesthetists to confirm assigned animals and check for any past anesthetic problems.

NPO Sign Deadline

Sign placed on the animal cage by $7:00\text{ PM}$ the night before surgery indicating no food by mouth.

Overnight Water Policy Pre-op

Water is left in the animal cage overnight and removed only after returning the animal to its cage following premedication on surgery day.

Anesthetic Drug Math Approval Deadline

Drug dose calculations and IV drip rates must be approved by lab instructors $3\text{ school days}$ prior to surgery.

Surgical Pack Expiration Limit

Sterile surgical instrument and drape packs must not be older than $2\text{ months}$.

Anesthetic Machine Leak Test

Operational safety check performed by anesthetists $15\text{ minutes}$ prior to lab on the day of surgery.

Surgical Room Cleaning Start Time

Damp dusting and mopping performed by the circulating nurse at the scheduled start time on the day of surgery.

Minimum Supply Stock Rule

Requirement to ensure at least $5$ units of suture, blades, and gloves are in stock in surgical cupboards.

Solution Bottle Refill Threshold

Prep solution and Clinicide bottles must be refilled and relabeled when only $\frac{1}{4}$ full.

Pre-anesthetic Team Discussion

Meeting held at the start of lab time between anesthetists, lab instructor, and group members after drawing up pre-anesthetic drugs.

Endotracheal (ET) Tube Placement Timing

Procedure performed by anesthetists within the first hour of lab following anesthetic induction.

Surgeon 1 Primary Duties (First Hour)

Shaves the patient's surgical site, then proceeds to scrub, gown, and glove.

Surgeon 2 Primary Duties (First Hour)

Preps the animal patient, and scrubs, gowns, and gloves after animal transfer and positioning.

Sponge Count Requirement

Mandatory count conducted by the instrument person after patient prep and repeated before surgical site/abdominal closure.

Anesthetist Vital Parameter Monitoring Frequency

Jaw tone, reflexes, heart rate, respiratory rate, eye position, mucous membranes, and capillary refill checked every $5\text{ minutes}$.

Anesthetist Temperature Monitoring Frequency

Patient body temperature monitored every $15\text{ minutes}$ during surgery.

PRN Cap

Cap placed on the patient IV catheter by anesthetists immediately after surgery during recovery.

Post-anesthetic Sternal Recumbency Release Criteria

Anesthetist must remain with the patient until sternally recumbent with $3$ normal readings taken $3\text{ minutes}$ apart and body temperature $\ge 37.0^\circ\text{C}$.

Surgical Site Cleanup Duty

Cleaning of the patient surgical incision site immediately upon completion of surgery, performed by surgeons.

E-Collar Placement Duty

Placement of an Elizabethan collar on the patient immediately after surgery, assigned to surgeons.

Post-Op Care Plan Posting Location

Document initialed by instructor and posted in the animal file by the circulating nurse.

Master List Chart Documentation

Anesthetists write procedure name and group number on the master list in the patient chart later on surgery day.

Sex Status Update Duty

Anesthetists update the animal sex status in the chart if the patient was spayed or neutered.

Instrument Pack Autoclaving Duty

Autoclaving cleaned instrument packs and returning them to the storage shelf later on surgery day, performed by the instrument person.

Gown and Linen Pack Creation

Assembling gown/linen packs, autoclaving, and placing them in the surgical cupboard, performed by surgeons later on surgery day.

Physical Exam Pre-op Timing

Physical examination performed the day prior to surgery; any abnormalities must be reported to the veterinarian immediately.

Controlled Drug Cabinet Storage

Narcotic and controlled drugs stored in a locked cabinet in the pharmacy and obtained only from an instructor.

Controlled Drug Discrepancy Protocol

Any spills or discrepancies in controlled drugs must be reported immediately to instructors.

Absolute Drug Administration Rule

Never administer any drug without explicit teacher approval and without knowing the specific purpose of the treatment.

Sternal Recumbency Monitoring Rule (15-min interval)

Requirement for one anesthetist to stay with an anesthetized animal until sternally recumbent with $3$ normal TPRs taken $15\text{ minutes}$ apart.

Asepsis

Practices and techniques aimed at excluding all pathogenic microorganisms from the surgical site to prevent contamination.

Sterilization

Process that destroys all forms of microbial life, including bacterial spores, applied directly to inanimate objects.

Disinfection

Process using chemicals on non-living objects to destroy or reduce pathogenic microorganisms; less thorough than sterilization.

Antiseptics

Chemical agents applied safely to living animate tissue to reduce, kill, or slow the growth of microorganisms.

Operating Room Floor Sterility Status

Surface that is disinfected, but never considered sterile.

Prepped Patient Skin Sterility Status

Skin treated with antiseptic chemicals, which significantly reduces microbial load but can never be truly sterile.

IV Fluids Warming Location

Warmed in the autoclave room sink during surgical laboratory setup.

Scrub Nurse Room Entry Attire

Put on mask and cap and remove lab coat prior to entering the surgery room before $8:45\text{ AM}$.

Garbage Pail Disinfectant

Cleaned and disinfected using Clinicide.

Post-Surgical Patient Monitoring Period

Patient monitored twice daily (BID) by the entire group for $7\text{ days}$ post-surgery.

Sutures and Incision Recheck Timing

Surgeons recheck incision and optionally remove sutures/E-collar with instructor permission at $10\text{ days}$ post-procedure.

Block Scrub Step 1

Wash both hands from arms to fingertips to elbows with chlorhexidine soap and rinse.

Block Scrub Step 2

Clean under every nail using a nail pick under running water.

Block Scrub Step 3

Apply lather from fingertips to elbow on one arm then the other using the sponge side of the scrub brush.

Block Scrub Step 4

Scrub all fingers $10$ times using the brush side of the scrub brush.

Block Scrub Step 5

Flip to the sponge side to scrub each finger on all four surfaces $10$ times.

Block Scrub Step 6

Scrub all surfaces of the palm and hand $10$ times.

Block Scrub Step 7

Scrub all four surfaces of the wrist $10$ times.

Block Scrub Step 8

Scrub the remaining forearm up to the elbow $10$ times per side.

Block Scrub Step 9

Drop brush into sink without allowing hands to drop below elbows, rinsing from fingertips to elbows.

Hand Drying Technique

Grasp entire sterile towel, unfold without body contact, dab first hand/forearm from fingertips to elbow with top end, flip towel, and dry second arm with dry bottom end.

Towel Transfer Protocol

Pass used towel directly to circulating nurse without dropping it on the floor.

Gown Unfolding Rule

Pick up gown with arm openings facing you, allow to unfold without floor contact, and keep chin up while sliding arms in.

Gown Waist Tie Protocol

Lean forward slightly so circulating nurse can grasp very tips of front waist ties and secure behind you.

Closed Gloving Technique

Hands remain inside gown cuffs; lay opposite glove palm down on forearm with cuff toward fingers and thumb to thumb before stretching cuff over gown.

Open Gloving Technique

Used when not wearing full gown; grasp only folded inner cuff of first glove, then slide gloved fingers under outer cuff of second glove.

Post-Gloving Hand Position

Hands held clasped together against the chest, above waist level at all times.

Damp Dusting Direction

Damp dust all horizontal surfaces including table, light, windowsills, counters, and tabletops from high to low using Clinicide.

Surgical Floor Mopping Solution

Floor mopped with Prevail disinfectant solution using dedicated surgery mop.

Surgery Mop Dumping Location

Mop bucket dumped in mop room sink, never in surgery sink.

Surgical Pack Indicator Tape Handling

Discard all tape except the portion containing information from the pack, which is stuck on the wall.

Pack Unfolding First Flap Direction

Unfold outer wraps so the first fold opens away from you.

Instrument Pack Inner Wrap Tool

Sterile Allis tissue forceps used to open the second wrap layer of surgical packs.

Fresh Blood Tool Cleanup

Clean bloodied items with hydrogen peroxide, soak in cold water for $10\text{ minutes}$, and scrub.

Student Gown Pack Contents

Contains $3$ gowns and $3$ hand towels.

Instructor Gown Pack Contents

Contains $1$ gown and $1$ hand towel.

Drape Pack Contents

Contains $4$ quad drapes and $1$ laparotomy sheet.

Surgical Pack Labeling Requirements

Wrapped with $2$ pieces of autoclave tape and labeled with initials, group letter, date, and pack contents.

Solution Basin Change Interval

Solutions in autoclave room must be changed after $7\text{ days}$ and relabeled with new date and initials.

Heating Pad Activation Timing

Turned on by circulating nurse prior to transferring patient into surgery room.

Stretcher Protocol in Surgery

Stretcher must be immediately removed from surgery room once patient arrives.

Patient Leg Tie Knots

Legs secured using quick release knots with double loop to limb itself, and single loop for limb with catheter.

Leg Tie Placement Anatomical Landmarks

Tied just above and below the carpus and tarsus.

Patient Alignment Tool

Positioning trough used to keep patient square on the surgical table.

Patient Draping Responsibility

Performed by assistant surgeons who must be scrubbed, gowned, and gloved.

Patient Draping Directional Order

Drape towards head first, then tail, sides next, and side furthest from surgeon last.

Continuous Sterile Field Creation

Laparotomy sheet covers surgical table end and instrument table is pushed up to surgery table.

Hexachlorophene

Phenol chemical agent categorized as an antiseptic.

Povidone Iodine 10%

Antiseptic chemical agent also known as Betadine.

Chlorhexidine (Hibitane)

Chemical agent utilized as both an antiseptic and a disinfectant.

Asepti-zyme

Enzymatic chemical disinfectant agent used on inanimate surfaces.

Clinicide

Quaternary ammonium compound disinfectant used for environmental surface cleaning.

Sonacide

Glutaraldehyde chemical disinfectant solution.

Formalin

Formaldehyde chemical disinfectant solution.

Bleach

Common term for sodium hypochlorite disinfectant.

Prevail

Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide (AHP) chemical disinfectant cleaner.

Ethylene Oxide (EtO)

Toxic gas sterilization method used for heat-sensitive items, electrical equipment, endoscopes, and plastics.

Ethylene Oxide Cycle Duration

Requires $12\text{ hours}$ in locked box/fume hood plus $12\text{ hours}$ venting.

Ethylene Oxide Hazards

Short term: skin/eye/respiratory tract burns; Long term: mutagenic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic.

Ethylene Oxide Record Retention Requirement

Sterilization records for Ethylene Oxide use must be kept for $40\text{ years}$.

Surgery Paperwork Requirements

Includes pre-anesthetic report, extended anesthesia record/surgery record, and post-op care sheet.

Circulating Nurse Crash Kit Duty

Responsible for knowing crash kit location and assisting team during surgical emergencies.

Indicator Tape Purpose

Placed on pack outside; changes color when exposed to sterilization conditions.

Chemical Indicator Strip Purpose

Placed inside pack; changes color when sterilization conditions are reached internally.

Sterilization Indicator Limitation Rule

Indicators do not prove sterility; they only indicate exposure to the sterilization process.

Sterile Personnel Passing Rule

Sterile team members pass each other back-to-back when moving in surgical suite.