Tech in Surgery Prep / Unit 21 TSC 508 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Surgical Drains
The idea
A surgical drain removes fluid, such as blood or serous fluid, from a wound or body space after surgery.
In practice
Follow a drain through the case. First, the surgeon decides whether a drain is needed and which kind, and places it through the skin near the wound. Second, the drain is secured, usually by suturing it to the skin, so it cannot be pulled out accidentally. Third, the drain site is covered with a sterile dressing. Fourth, the drain is recorded, including its location, so the recovery team knows it is there. Fifth, after surgery, staff check the drain and its output regularly, watching for leaks and for signs of bleeding.
Where people slip
A drain is a device that will stay in the patient after the case. The scrub person prepares it and its securing suture, and tracks it under the facility's device process.
Your place on the trail
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