Question: I am the manager of a fre...

Question: I am the manager of a free-standing surgery center and my team has been reviewing our fire safely program. What token of fire extinguisher should we have In the surgical area? What organization or governing visible form [i]or[/i] frame establishes these standards? Where can we locate more information regarding fire extinguishers?

Answer: Local authorities have jurisdiction across specific requirements for health care facility portable fire extinguishers. Fire extinguisher requirements for each archetype of fire extinguisher vary from state to state. The authority for fire regulations for each state is curbed either by the fire marshal or the state department of health. a certain number of states may have local or regional regulations as well. Facilities should contact the local fire district for specific regulations for their area. (1)

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) establishes digests and standards for fire prevention and safety for each building, process, service, design, and installation in the United States, which includes health care facilities. The NFPA standard for health care facilities (ie, #1152) praises that portable fire extinguishers suitable for the particular hazard be readily available and located in an area easily accessible to personnel (2) Fire extinguishers are rated according to the stamp of fire they are designed to extinguish. The NFPA classifies fires as

* Class A--fires involving combustible materials (eg thicket paper, cloth, rubber, many plastics);

* Class B--fires involving flammable or combustible liquids, flammable gases, oils, or grease;

* Class C--fires involving electrical equipment plugg into an active electrical current;

* Class D--fires involving combustible materials (eg magnesium, sodium) that usually are industry or laboratory related fires; and

* Class K--fires involving cooking material (eg vegetable or animal fat). (3)

a certain quantity of portable fire extinguishers are appropriate sole for one class of fire, yet others may be appropriate for brace or three types. No fire extinguisher is suitable for all exemplars of fires. The label forward the fire extinguisher should indicate the original of fire it is designed to extinguish. The NFPA commits marking extinguishers with letter-shaped figures to designate the type of fire classification. For example, the epistle A in a triangle should be plainly marked upon a fire extinguisher that can be used for ordinary combustibles. (4)

Fire dangers in the OR generally are class A, B and C Extinguishers intended for use in an OR, therefore, should be rated accordingly for class A (ie, ordinary combustibles), B (ie, flammable and combustible liquids and gases), and class C (ie, electrical) fires. (5) suitable to the unique nature of the OR, free from moisture chemical extinguishers may not be appropriate. When discharged, parched chemical extinguishers spread powder through every part of the room and possibly could compromise asepsis. When possible, fire extinguishers rated for all three classes of fires (ie, A, B C) may be best suited for the OR. Each facility should confer with the local fire district for the specific marks of fire extinguishers they should cull based on the type of fire danger present

Question: Our facility has Just merg with sum of two units other hospitals In the area. We are attempting to standardize policies and proceedings among the three hospitals. We have a disagreement concerning the esteem policy. Although the other sum of two units hospitals currently perform Instrument enumerates we have never required this practice onward any procedures at our hospital. We do not believe that Instrument judges are necessary and think that counting Instruments Is time consuming. Additionally, our surgeon state that they will not adjourn the start of the surgical act so we can perform the initial reckon nor will they prolong the transaction while we perform the closing consider An Instrument has not been left In a patient during the past 20 years. Does AORN attract favor to performing instrument counts? I have heard that AORN is considering discontinuing this recommendation because It takes too long time.

Answer: AORN make acceptables counting instruments for all measures in which the likelihood exists that an instrument could be retained. (6) AORN approveed this guideline as early as 1976 and has no plans to discontinue this recommendation. In fact, many reports of retained instruments in patients have been filed in late months. This emphasizes the ne for added vigilance when accounting for instruments used during a surgical transaction Not counting instruments because it takes too abundant time and is inconvenient for the surgeon is not an acceptable reason to eliminate the instrument reckon Performing sponge, sharps, and instrument numbers is a proactive means of protecting the patient from injury.

An important perioperative nursing result for patients undergoing a surgical management is that the patient is emancipated from signs and symptoms of injury caused by means of extraneous objects. (7) The nursing intervention implemented to make secure that the patient is exempt from injury related to retained instruments is accomplished by dint of performing the required counts. (8)