Lynne Kerrigan

Myerscough College BSc(Hons) and FdSc Veterinary Nursing Course Tutor and Lecturer, Lancashire, UK

How to nurse the ageing, small animal inpatient part 1 – general nursing considerations

Comprehensive histories are especially critical in senior medicine. Detailed information including decrease or increase in food or water consumption, alterations in bodyweight or activity level and...

Figure 1. Factors affecting the outcome of steam sterilisation.
Reproductive

Factors associated with steam sterilisation failure

Human error is cited as the main cause of steam sterilisation process failures, followed by equipment mal-function and steam quality/performance (Figure 1) (Chandrapati, 2008)..

Figure 1. A radiograph taken 4 days post operatively showing retained contaminated laparotomy pad with radio-opaque marker. Note the development of septic peritonitis; abdominal effusion and distended loops of small intestines due to ileus.

Reducing the risk of gossypiboma and other retained items during surgery

A gossypiboma is the direct result of iatrogenic harm, as the act of leaving a swab in situ arises from a failure to account for all the swabs at the end of a surgical or other invasive procedure...