Guidelines for the care and maintenance of surgical instruments are provided, along with recommendations for the proper handling of these items. Methods for the decontamination, sterilization, and high-level disinfection of surgical instruments are discussed in detail.

At this edition of Leader Exchange, a panel of trusted periop leaders will share their expertise on how to engage, invigorate, and better prepare the preceptor.

Peer-to-peer and hierarchical incivility and bullying inside surgical departments is more pervasive now than ever before. This panel discussion will provide an increased awareness of how these behaviors manifest, tools and tactics to address, and how leaders can turn the tide inside their department.

This continuing education program will examine the potential benefits of using an instrument management system to facilitate instrument optimization, organization, and manual count confirmation through a series of visual, mechanical, and educational aids incorporated into the design.

This program defines the characteristics of hazardous drugs, identifies groups of HCWs at greatest risk, and describes potential routes and effects of occupational exposure. Recommendations offered by government agencies and professional associations for the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) are summarized, focusing on the proper use of gloves and gowns when handling chemotherapy drugs.

The increased need to navigate to areas impossible to locate through touch, and an increased focus on oncoplastic approaches, have led to the development of several wire-free localization techniques that alleviate some of the evidence-based disadvantages of wire-guided localization. This program aims to educate a broader audience on the latest localization techniques for breast conservation surgery with a specific focus on Radar Localization.

Preventing disease transmission is a major concern for all members of the perioperative team. This continuing education activity discusses the triangle of concern presented by bacterial penetration of barrier fabrics (ie, surgical gowns, face masks, and sterilization wraps) through forced air currents and its implications for the perioperative nurse.