First Draft 3-15-97
The air supply system must be designed to
Storage and Case Carts
minimize airborne bacteria from entering the
As a supplement to built-in storage of
sterile field, This helps to minimize the
sterilized items including instruments within
number of micro-organisms in those areas
the procedures rooms which may become
which could contaminate the sterile field.
contaminated, a case cart system is used.
Other Procedures Rooms must have the
This system contains most of the needed
mechanical air distribution designed to
supplies required for specific cases, which
minimize the numbers of organisms present.
include:
Support areas such as the storage areas for
1. the instruments;
sterile supplies and instruments and semi-
restricted areas to include spaces such as the
2. the sterile packs, which include the
instrument work room, non-sterile supply
gowns, patients' drapes, back table
storage, personnel lounges and lockers,
covers, towels, etc.;
offices, and control desk may also require
3. disposable supplies such
as
gloves,
adequate
ventilation
to
minimize
sponges, dressings, etc.;
4. sterile utensil items (in most cases a
Ceiling Heights
sterile wash basin containing sterilized
water for the surgical team to remove the
For surgical rooms 2890 mm (9'-6") is a
powder from the surgical gloves and
minimum height and if possible should be
supply wet sponges or laparotomy pads
higher. Other invasive procedure rooms can
as required by the surgeon.
be lower because supplemental lighting is not
required and if necessary can be mobile
Sterilizer
lights. When overhead x-ray equipment is
A sterilizer for flash sterilization of
required higher ceilings will also be required.
instruments should be located as close as
In General Surgery operating rooms proper
possible to operating and procedures rooms.
air handling is essential. About 1/3 of the air
A sterilizer meets the following needs:
is supplied over the OR table and 2/3 is
supplied around the OR table. In order to
1. If an instrument is dropped or if a non-
achieve desirable air circulation free from
sterile instrument is needed, it can be
drafts a higher ceiling height may be
flash sterilized and put into use in
necessary.
approximately three minutes.
2. Some clinics do not wrap their tray of
instruments. The instruments are placed
in an open tray, flash sterilized and carried
directly to surgical instrument tables.
VA DESIGN GUIDE
AMBULATORY CARE INVASIVE PROCEDURES SUITE
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