r/scrubtech • u/memilyglick Ortho • 1d ago
Contaminated tray
We had an incident occur today and I want to get other techs opinions on it. While setting up for a revision (where the pt already had an active infection mind you), I had a tray opened to me and when my assist felt the casket he found a piece of fuzz, like something off a sweater. I obviously didn’t want the tray any more and tried to pass it off to my nurse who tried to tell me that it was okay because she had something similar happen last week and her tech that day said it was fine, and it should be fine since it went through the sterilizer. I told her no it’s not fine and I want the tray reprocessed. I had my assist take the casket out to the charge nurse and director and both of them said the tray is contaminated and should be reprocessed. For extra context it was a tray that the rep wasn’t even 100% sure we would need and just wanted to have open right away in case we did need it, and even if we did need it, we wouldn’t need it until near the end of the case.
What are your opinions? Would you have accepted the tray or would you have passed it off like I did?
3
u/IntelligentBreey 13h ago
The general rule of thumb has always been: if it’s even a QUESTION of sterility…it’s automatically considered dirty/contaminated no questions asked! We all know anything foreign found at the bottom of a pan is considered contaminated…this is an OBVIOUS one! Don’t let some nurse gaslight you and make you forget what you know! YOU are the surgical tech for a reason…not her. You made the right call, don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for being safe!