Assisting with Minor Surgery Flashcards
What is the MA’s role in minor surgical procedures generally?
- knowledgeable procedures performed
- prepare patient for surgery
- assist practitioner during surgery
- care for the patient after surgery
- ensure surgical asepsis practices
What are the MA’s administrative tasks in minor surgical procedures?
- preauthorization
- consent
- pre-op education
- post-op instructions
What are the MA’s clinical roles in minor surgical procedures?
- prep room and equipment
- assist during surgery
- dressing wounds, remove sutures, staples
- clean room and equipment
When should you use local anesthetics?
minor surgical procedure
- medication that causes a loss of sensation
Why should anesthetics be used?
- diagnose an illness
- repair an injury
- removal of a wart, skin tag or other small growth
What supplies are needed for mole/cyst removal?
- local anesthetic
- scalpel
- suture supplies
What should the MA do for a mole/cyst removal procedure?
- obtain detailed history/change in mole
- obtain family history/cancer
- specimen to be sent to lab for evaluation
- instruct patient to monitor wound, return if infection occurs, follow up suture removal, if needed
What supplies are needed during an ingrown toenail removal?
- local anesthetic
- sterile scissors, forceps, hemostats
- bandaging materials
What should a MA do during ingrown toenail removal?
- notify patient that there will be discomfort
- patient to soak area in warm water to facilitate healing
- assist provider
- bandage wound
What is cryosurgery for?
exposes tissues to extreme cold to destroy cells
What supplies are needed for cryosurgery?
liquid nitrogen
What is the role of a MA in cryosurgery?
- provide patient support and instructions
- discomfort as tissue warms
- assist with procedures
What is electrosurgery/electrocauterization?
electrical current sent through tissue to stop bleeding, destroy polyps, or break scar tissue
What is needed for electrosurgery?
electrocautery unit
What is the role of a MA during electrosurgery?
provide patient care and wound care
What is colposcopy/hysteroscopy?
using instruments to inspect vaginal area, cervix, uterus
What supplies are needed for hysteroscopy?
- exam table with stirrups
- colposcope/hysteroscope
- biopsy forceps
What is the role of a MA during hysteroscopy?
- patient into lithotomy position
- notify patient of discomfort
- provide patient instructions
- assist provider
- prepare specimens for transport
What is I & D?
incision and drainage
What is laser surgery?
uses special light beams to cut tissue
What should MAs do prior to suture removal?
- inspect wound for healing, draining, infection
- if crusting, soak before removal
What supplies are needed for suture removal?
- suture removal tool
- scissors
- forceps
- wound care supplies
- gauze
- steri-strips
What is the role of a MA during suture removal?
- note the number of sutures/staples that were used
- stop procedure if gaping of the wound occurs
- when removing sutures, cut close to the knot and pull with forceps by grabbing the knot and pulling toward the wound
- apply wound care and educate patients on care and procedures to avoid infection
What is a laceration?
jagged, open wound in the skin that can extend down into the underlying tissue
What is a puncture wound?
- deep wound caused by sharp object
- may require tdap injection if by metal object
What is debridement?
removal of debris or dead tissue from the wound
- helps to expose healthy tissue and promote healing
How should you clean a wound?
- clean thoroughly with soap and water
- irrigate with sterile saline solution or sterile water
What instruments are used for cutting and dissecting instruments?
scalpels
scissors
What instruments are used for grasping and clamping?
forceps
hemostats
towel clamps
What instruments are needed for suturing?
- needles
- needle holder
- sutures
- syringes
- instrument packs
What is surgical asepsis?
removal of all microorganisms, including spores
- must be used during invasive procedures
- when penetrating skin or mucous membranes
What does surgical asepsis start with?
- sanitizing and disinfecting instruments
- cleaning and scrubbing with germicidal soap and water
- allow instruments to dry
How can you sterilize tools?
- autoclave
- pressurized steam
How can we prepare items for the autoclave?
- wrapped and labeled
- porous fabric, paper, plastic
- sterile pack (instruments used together)
- label with non-toxic marker (identity of items inside wrapping, person completing procedure, expiration date)
What is surgical scrub?
- removes more microorganisms than routine handwashing
- different than aseptic hand washing
= sterile scrub brush instead of nail brush
= hands and forearms are washed
= hands above the elbows
= sterile towels instead of paper towels
= sterile gloves after hands are dried
What are the rules of sterile gloves?
- put on after surgical scrub
- only touch items in the sterile field
- if the glove is damaged, anything it touches is contaminated
What area is considered nonsterile?
1 inch around sterile field
How do you maintain a sterile field?
- open packages so they drop onto sterile field
- sterile liquids should be poured from the side of the sterile field
- don’t let liquid leak on to the field
- don’t leave it unattended
- medication vials should be cleaned with alcohol before holding with two hands for the provider to inject with a needle
What are the important preoperative procedures?
- obtain written and informed consent
- answer patient questions
- prepare the patient in gown and position and drape the patient
- surgical skin preparation
= remove hair if needed
= apply antiseptic
