THE OPERATING ROOM

Operating Room is an integral part of nursing services in nursing hospital. It is considered as an important nursing service area. When a patient is scheduled for surgery, then it will be operated by a specially trained personnel in a very specialized area of ​​the hospital and this specialized area is called Operating Room (or) / Operating Theater (OT). The operating room is a dynamic and complex area, where the safety of patients undergoing surgery requires a lot of priority. The environment of the operating room is conducive to its needs, but it is quite different from the rest of the hospital, that all the activities of the operating room are centered around the best care of the patient.

Objectives of Operation Theater Nursing

• To create & maintain an aseptic & safe environment for patient's.
• To provide a safe & efficient working environment to all OT personnel.
• To provide safe, supportive & quality nursing care to meet the surgical requirement of the patient's.
• To function effectively as OT team member.
• To adhere to the policies, guidelines & procedures of OT services of the hospital.

Definition

The use of the term "operating room" requires clarification. The entire area in which surgical operations are performed and materials are prepared and stored for surgery is properly called the operating room suite or the surgical suite. However, hospital personnel often describe the entire suite simply as the "operating room" (OR). Examples of such usage are "OR specialist," "OR nurse," and "OR supervisor"--all of whom have duties throughout the surgical suite. Of course, "operating room" and "OR" are also used to indicate an individual OR in which surgery is performed. However, the terms "operating room" is used to designate a room within the surgical suite where surgery is performed on a patient.

"Operation Theater" is a specialized facility of the hospital where lifesaving or life improving procedures are carried out on human body by invasive methods under strict aseptic conditions in a controlled environment by specially trained personnel to promote healing and cure with maximum safety, comfort and economy.

Classification of OT

• Based on size
  • Major OT - The major OT is a spacious and air-conditioned hall that has four operating tables. They are engaged with major surgeries conducted under the use of general anaesthesia. The operation theatre is well equipped with all the necessary instruments & machinery. A central sterile supply department with two big horizontal sterilization machines are located close to the Operation Theatre where all instruments and linen are sterilized and kept ready to use Major OT.
  • Minor OT
  • It deals with the minor surgeries operate under local anaesthesia. It Equipped with a microscope, an anaesthetic machine and all the other routine equipment is used to operate minor eye cases, foreign body removal etc. Removal of suture can also be done in minor OT. Diagnostic procedures such as Biopsy can also take place.
• Based on Specialty
  • General OT
  • Cardiac OT
  • Neurology OT
  • Orthopedic OT
  • Ophthalmic OT
  • ENT OT
• Based on Sterility
  • Ultra sterile OT – Ultra sterile operation theater is a place where major and life-saving surgeries done with an absolute sterile environment are performed like Cardio-thoracic-vascular OT , Transplant OT)
  • Sterile OT - Sterile operation theater is a place where surgeries with no risk of infection are performed.
  • Septic OT - Septic operation theater is a place where surgeries with risk of infection, like evisceration, abscess drainage, dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR), dacryocystectomy (DCT) etc are performed.
• Based on construction
  • Modular OT - Modular OT is a finished joint less with sterile coating that provide a high quality finish in prevention of contamination build up, long durability, robust and flexibility design for future expansion, ease of maintenance etc.
  • Non-Modular OT – a general operation theater
• Based on timing of surgery
  • Routine
  • Emergency

Location of operation department

• All Operating Rooms should be centralized in the operating department rather than spread in the hospital, since this has been shown to be the most economic approach in terms of the use of equipment and for training of personnel.
• It should be centrally located so that it is easily and quickly reached from all areas of the hospital, thus enabling personnel to transfer patients with the least possible delay.
• It should be away from general wards, OPD, entrance & exit of hospitals.
• It should be adjacent to emergency & trauma unit, intensive care unit or critical care unit & surgical wards.
• It should have an easy access to X –ray department, diagnostic department & central sterile supply department.
• The suite should be located in a cul-de-sac (passage with only one outlet), or at least away from those areas of the hospital through which most of the traffic flows.
• Elevators should be easily reached for transportation of patients or supplies.