b. Supplies and Equipment. Fixed hospitals are capable of storing bulky and
heavy supplies whereas mobile hospitals have a limited storage capacity. In addition,
the equipment used in a CSH and many other mobile table of organization and
equipment (TOE) medical units is characteristic of the compact, lightweight, and
portable type, but it is usually quite similar in both appearance and operation to the
equipment used in permanent (fixed) type hospitals.
c. Guidance by Supervisor. The OR specialist may find that a
smaller variety of items, both supplies and equipment, are available in a mobile medical
unit than in a fixed medical unit. This factor of having less supplies and equipment to
work within certain hospitals indicates that the OR specialist may need to
make adjustments in the method of performing some of his assigned duties. In some
instances, he may need to improvise, as prescribed by his supervisor, in order to
perform certain procedures. Furthermore, the type of improvisation required may vary
from one hospital to another, depending upon the type of equipment that is available at
a given time.
(1) Operating room supervisors and surgeons frequently prescribe the
policy to be followed by personnel under their supervision.
(2) Therefore, in this and other subcourses related to the OR.
specialist, principles and safeguards are stressed. Methods and techniques are
discussed for the benefit of those specialists assigned to hospitals and other medical
units where standing operating procedures (SOP) have not been developed or are
incomplete.
Section II. THE OPERATING ROOM SUITE
1-4.
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. Throughout
this subcourse, these terms "operating room suite" and "surgical suite" are used when
referring to the entire area in which operations are performed and supplies are prepared
and/or stored. Terms such as "OR specialist," "OR supervisor," and "OR personnel" are
in general use and are understood by all hospital personnel as referring to persons
assigned to the OR suite. The terms "operating room" and "individual operating room"
are used to designate a room within the surgical suite where surgery is performed on a
patient.
MD0923
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