Tech in Surgery Prep / Unit 24 TSC 585 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Handling Specimens
The idea
Specimens are tissue or other material removed for examination, and the scrub person manages them while they are on the sterile field.
In practice
Follow a specimen from field to laboratory. First, when the surgeon removes a specimen, the scrub person receives it, often into a container or basin, without letting it be lost or confused with other tissue. Second, the specimen is kept on the field only as long as needed, then passed off to the circulating nurse. Third, its container is labelled with the patient's name and a description of the specimen. Fourth, the circulating nurse collects and processes it, according to the laboratory's and facility's requirements. Fifth, at the end of the case, specimen labels are read aloud, including the patient's name, the description and any orienting marks.
Where people slip
A specimen is often the reason for the operation, and the patient's diagnosis depends on it. A specimen that is lost, mixed up or mislabelled may not be replaceable.
Your place on the trail
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