Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN

This ORNurseLink discussion board is for member questions to AORN clinical personnel at headquarters. Non-approved respondents cannot reply to topics within this discussion board. If you want to reach people working in healthcare facilities, it is best to post your thread under a different topic located under "All Topics" by clicking on “Discuss” in the main navigation. Questions for AORN nursing staff may also be directed to AORN’s clinical consult line at (800) 755-2676 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm Mountain time.

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Recent Topics

Craniotomy & AAA Drill

1 18

Hi, I am the clinical educator for all of our perioperative areas. Surgery has requested a craniotomy and/or a AAA ...

Tammy Bilyeu Category Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN 16d

Answered

AORN Nursing Practice 16d

Thank you for your post on AORN's OR NurseLink. However, your question seems to be intended to reach out to other ...

Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor appropriate for OR use?

1 19

Could you please advise if the use of Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor is appropriate for use for terminal cleaning in the ...

Julie Mobley Category Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN Nov '20

Answered

Byron Burlingame Dec '20

Consult with the AORN Guideline for Environmental Cleaning recommendation 1.11. This recommendation speaks ...

Heparinized solution

1 15

Hello all, What are you preparing the heparinized solution with? NS irrigation? NS IV?

Ludmilla Paulovich-Rolim Category Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN Nov '20

Answered

AORN Nursing Practice Nov '20

Dear Ludmilla,

This thread is monitored by AORN staff nurses and may not be seen by others. If you would like to know ...

ureteral stents as implants

1 36

What is AORN's stance on ureteral stents? Are they an implant?

Denise Timberlake Category Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN Nov '20

Answered

AORN Nursing Practice Nov '20

Dear Denise,
Thank you for your question regarding implant classification. A recent clinical issue in the AORN ...

Skin knife

1 15

Does anyone have a reference for the "skin Knife" being used throughout the surgical procedure. I believe that ...

Patricia Castellano Category Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN Nov '20

Answered

AORN Nursing Practice Nov '20

Hello; thank you for your question.
There are a couple of mentions of discarding the knife used to make incision on ...

PEGs-not implants for tracking

1 48

Good day: As the perioperative nurse educator at my facility, I was asked if PEGs need to be documented as an implant ...

Regan Ramos Category Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN Oct '20

Answered

AORN Nursing Practice Nov '20

Regan,
The FDA definition of medical devices that require tracking is located here: ...

Site Marking by the Surgeon - Radioactive Seed Breast ...

1 15

We currently permit the radioactive seed placement on a breast procedure to be the "Site Marking" Consents ...

Valarie Grant Category Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN Oct '20

Answered

AORN Nursing Practice Oct '20

Valarie,
The AORN Guideline for Team Communication states that the "patient's identity, procedure, and ...

Time out in the Operating Room

1 25

Good afternoon.. Does the surgeon has to be scrubbed in to start the time out in surgery or do they just need to be ...

Lynn Ondishko Category Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN Oct '20

Answered

AORN Nursing Practice Oct '20

Lynn,
The need for the surgeon to be scrubbed in for a time-out was not specified in any of documentation reviewed. ...

Surgical Technologist inserting indwelling ...

1 60

Any guidelines - recommendations - Surgical Technologist inserting indwelling catheters in the Operating ...

Valarie Grant Category Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN Oct '20

Answered

AORN Nursing Practice Oct '20

Hi Valarie,

Thank you for your question asking about guidelines or recommendations regarding surgical ...

Alternative Preps when Patient has betadine allergy

1 38

We have always had Techni-care for patients with betadine allergy for areas that chloraprep can not be used. We are ...

Kelly Coleman Category Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN Oct '20

Answered

AORN Nursing Practice Oct '20

Good Morning Kelly,

Thank you for your question. I see you are asking what products people are using in the scenario ...

RNFA performing initial count

1 34

Hello, Can the RNFA perform the initial count while the circulator is checking in the patient?

Beth Jacobs Category Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN Oct '20

Answered

AORN Nursing Practice Oct '20

Beth,
No, the RN Circulator should perform the initial count with the scrub person. Here is an article that ...

what should be used for vaginal preps

1 31

What solution should be used for vaginal preps

Lucille Miller Category Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN Oct '20

Answered

AORN Nursing Practice Oct '20

Lucille,
Povidone-iodine 10% has the most evidence to support it's use as it is the most commonly used antiseptic ...

Possible linen sensitivity

1 28

Hello, We have a nurse that believes that she has developed an issue with our scrubs. She has been with us for over 6 ...

Jean Zimmel Category Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN Sep '20

Answered

AORN Nursing Practice Sep '20

Dear Jean,

Thank you for posting your question to the Ask AORN Clinical Nurses page, which is monitored by AORN ...

Counts

1 55

Sir/Ma'am, We are having a debate within the OR on counts. Does it state within the guidelines what is the proper ...

Trever Palmer Category Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN Aug '20

Answered

AORN Nursing Practice Aug '20

Hi Trever,
Thank you for your question asking in which order items should be counted for surgical or invasive ...

Safe patient moving devices

1 19

Hello everyone, I am trying to get some ideas from the experience of O.R nurses and the best patient transfer ...

Priscilla Cupid Category Ask the Clinical Nurses at AORN Aug '20

Answered

AORN Nursing Practice Aug '20

Hi Priscilla,
Thank you for your post on AORN's OR NurseLink. However, your question seems to be intended to reach ...