Be Sharp!
Dull Instruments Just Don't Cut It

Be Proactive

Sharpening and maintenance should be based on need, but that doesn't mean waiting until the surgeon throws the instrument on the floor.  What it does mean is determining which instruments and sets are used most often in your facility and then checking them periodically.  For the average facility, the instruments most likely to require routine sharpening are: scissors, bone cutters, osteotomes, rongeurs, chisels, bone curettes, knives, and punches.

There are no standard schedules for sharpening, however; this is determined by instrument and set usage.  Scissors and orthopedic instruments tend to need servicing most often, so that's probably where you'll invest most of your maintenance dollars.  But facilities vary, so conduct an audit to find out which sets your surgeons use most-- that's where the money should go.

Ideally, you should take a proactive approach.  Establish a routine inspection schedule that everyone can live with, then market that plan to the OR technicians.  They'll think it's great.

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