Sharp Towel Clamps - On or Ratcheted Together?

[Uprooted Scrub]

Good morning!

I was wondering what everyone is doing about sharp towel clamps when sterilizing instrument sets. In the past, I've seen them with the ratchets locked in the closed position, and currently, we are putting them on the stringer with other ringed instruments.

Even though AAMI ST46 says unlock all instruments, my personal feeling, looking at it from a risk assessment point of view (scrubs getting stabbed by the towel clamps on the stringer) is that they should be locked (one ratchet) and placed in the bottom of the instrument pan.

Yesterday, when this question came up, we took a close look at the lock box on a Backhaus towel clamp - even when they're locked, you can still see light through the ratchet teeth.

What do you all think about this?

Thanks.

Blaine:)

[Francisco]

We here at my hospital lock our towel clips because of the risk assessment view. However, I do see the issue. I would continue to lock the towel clips, for the risk of injury is much higher if they are not locked.

[Harvey Johnson]

We lock them also, hasn't been an issue here......

[p875]

We lock 1 ratchet too--we used to have them open in the sets and ran into to many incidents of scrubs and instrument techs getting hurt --tearing of gloves during case set-ups--I feel the risk is to great to leave them open.

[Uprooted Scrub]

Thank you all for the feedback!

Have a great day.

Blaine

[sonny1388]

hmm...interesting. We have always completely unlocked our towel clips and strung them with the other instruments. I don't know how everyone else in here strings thier sets, but we have two ways. The first is that all of the instruments are strung onto the ring forceps and laid on a flat metal pan that has shallow edges, with a knife handle or a pick up through the ring. The other is that we have aluminum boxes that have inserts, and the inserts have separators and a tube to hold the instruments open. In either case, the scrub can take the pan or the insert and put them directly on the mayo/back table without picking out a lot of instrumentation. I have not heard of an injury/torn glove/other incident from towel clips in the 3+ yrs I have been here. Another suggestion I would make would be to open the towel clips for sterilization and advise scrubs to click the instruments when they open them before handling them to avoid getting stuck. Best of both worlds!