Draping

Question 1

What do drapes do?

Answer 1

Provide a fluid/blood resistant barrier to minimize passage of microorganisms from unsterile areas

Reduce risk of health care associated infections

Cover patient

Cover equipment/furniture adjacent to sterile field

Question 2

6 key principles of draping?

Answer 2

Ensure drape is unfolded correctly
-follow manufactures directions

Place drapes over the intended surgical incision site or by it and drape out peripherally

Handle drapes as little as possible

Cuff your hand in a fold of drape to prevent hand contamination

Only top surface of drape is sterile

Once placed do not move top surface of drape

Question 3

What is key principle of surgical draping?

Answer 3

Cuffing

Question 4

Types of sterile drapes?

Answer 4

Sterile towels 
Incise Drapes
Laparotomy drapes
Upper extremity drapes
Lower extremity drapes 
Lithotomy drapes
Split sheet

Question 5

Sterile towel drapes?

Answer 5

Sterile impervious towel drapes only towel classified as a drape

Sterile cloth towels do not provide a barrier for the passage of microorganisms from unsterile to sterile areas

Question 6

What are sterile towels used for?

Answer 6

Squaring off incision site
Wrap head
Wrap around extremity

Question 7

How are towels secured?

Answer 7

Non penetrating towel clamps

Skin staples

Question 8

Incise drapes?

Answer 8

Large plastic adhesive drape that may be applied to incisional area
- antimicrobial properties

Question 9

Laparotomy drapes?

Answer 9

For abdominal, chest and thoracic procedures

- towel placed to outline incision site followed by laparotomy drapes

Question 10

Unfolding laparotomy drapes?

Answer 10

Square incision site with towels
Place fenestration (hole) of abd drape at proposed site of incision
2 sterile members unfold the drape to the foot of then bed and then unfold to head of bed

Question 11

Upper extremity drapes?

Answer 11

Used for upper limb extremity 
Hand 
Wrist 
Elbow 
Forearm

Question 12

What should drape cover?

Answer 12

Max surface area

Question 13

Lower extremity drapes?

Answer 13

Used for lower limb surgery
Foot
Ankle
Leg

Question 14

Lithotomy drapes?

Answer 14

Leggings are drapes used to cover lower extremities and stirrups when pt is in lithotomy

Question 15

Why might an additional drape me placed under the buttocks when patient in lithotomy position?

Answer 15

To drape perineal area to prevent blood/body fluid from soaking into the linen

• protect skin
• decrease contact with OR bed

Question 16

Split sheet drape?

Answer 16

Sheets cut linear to allow drapes to be wrapped around the area

Commonly used for ENT, head + neck and ortho procedures

Very versatile

Question 17

Mayo stand draping

Answer 17

Foot to stabilize stand

Dominant hand cuffed within fold of the cover while the opposite hand feeds the drape down the vertical stand

Question 18

Where is the mayo stand considered sterile?

Answer 18

On top of the tray and underneath the tray because it is placed over the sterile field

Question 19

How to decrease risk of contamination during draping?

Answer 19

Careful attention when draping
Monitored closely by surgical team
After draping discard gloves and don new pair
Sterile members avoid reaching over unsterile areas
If blood/body fluid penetrates through drape/gown it is contaminated

Question 20

How to drape equipment?

Answer 20

Follow manufacturers instructions.
Ex. C arms
Drape as close to time of use as possible

Question 21

Equipment that does not need to be draped?

Answer 21

Lights
Anesthesia cart/machine
ESU
Stools

Question 22

Placing drapes for CVC/PICC?

Answer 22

Don mask & eye protection
Skip prep
Sterile gown & gloves
Drape patient with full body drape

Question 23

Removing drapes?

Answer 23

Done by scrubbed team members

Carefully pull drape towards the foot of the bed after incision is protected

Question 24

Goal of drapes?

Answer 24

Create barrier to minimize microscopic organisms passage from the unsterile areas to sterile fields

Question 25

Variety of sterile towels?

Answer 25

Impervious towel drapes
Disposable cloth towels
Reusable cloth towels
- cloth towels are not drapes

*impervious towels are only towel considered a drape