Provide surgical instrumentation and items for the surgical team and maintain the sterile field

​This standard covers providing surgical instrumentation and supplementary items to the surgical team and monitoring their use.  This involves passing surgical instrumentation and supplementary items across the sterile field and checking and counting surgical items with the registered practitioner, in line with organisational policies and procedures.

You will be working in a 'scrubbed' role whilst undertaking these activities. 

 

---

1. access and accurately interpret all relevant work instructions and information
2. work safely at all times and in accordance with all relevant legislation, guidelines, policies, procedures and protocols
3. deal promptly and effectively with any problems within your control and report those which cannot be solved
4. identify and minimise hazards and risk in the workplace
5. ensure your, position, posture and movements do not compromise the sterile field or individual safety
6. communicate clearly and assertively with others, giving appropriate information, instruction and advice so that they do not compromise the sterile field
7. effectively monitor the activities of the surgical team and anticipate their requirements for surgical instrumentation and supplementary items
8. handle surgical instrumentation and supplementary items correctly and safely, ensuring the sterile field and individual safety is not compromised when handing them to the surgical team

9. promptly clarify any uncertainty over requirements with the appropriate member of the surgical team where you identify a problem in relation to:

   • an instrument or item
   • the sterile field
   • contamination of instruments
     

10. select and prepare the correct surgical instrumentation and supplementary items according to the clinical specialty, the anticipated requirements of the operative procedure, and the needs of the individual

11. count and record instruments, needles, swabs and supplementary items in conjunction with a registered practitioner as the second authorised checker prior to commencement and on completion in accordance with organisational policies and procedures
12. clearly inform the surgical team of the instrumentation and supplementary item counts at appropriate stages of the procedure
13. dispose of and transfer used instrumentation and supplementary items to the non-sterile area for accounting and compliance with tracing requirements for medical devices in line with organisational procedures
14. carefully remove drapes from the individual, ensuring their dignity and safety, and dispose of them in accordance with organisational procedures
15. complete and store all relevant documentation in accordance with organisational requirements

---

1. the current legislation, guidelines, policies, procedures and protocols which are relevant to your work practice and to which you must adhere
2. the scope and limitations of your own competence, responsibilities and accountability as it applies to your job role
3. how to access and interpret all relevant work instructions and information
4. specific procedures for reporting issues which are beyond your competence, responsibilities and accountability
5. the duty to report any acts or omissions that could be unsafe/detrimental to you or others
6. the hazards and risks which may arise during the execution of your work role and how you can minimise these
7. the correct use of any equipment and PPE to protect the health and safety of you and others
8. organisational management structures, roles, and responsibilities
9. the difference between scrubbed and circulating roles
10. the principles of asepsis in relation to the provision of surgical instrumentation and supplementary items and the maintenance of the sterile field and the potential consequence of poor practice
11. the sources, transmission routes and destruction of pathogenic organisms
12. the nature and purpose of sterile fields and describe how they are established and maintained
13. how the sterile field contributes to infection control
14. the importance of adhering to correct methods for passing items to, and receiving them from, the sterile team and the relevant practitioner
15. how sterile fields may be compromised during procedures, and the action to take if this happens
16. the safe methods of disposing of all types of waste from the sterile field
17. the potential hazards associated with surgical instrumentation and supplementary items and how they can be avoided or minimised
18. the criteria and methods for judging the sterility of surgical instrumentation and supplementary items
19. the types, purpose and function of surgical instrumentation and supplementary items in common use in the clinical specialties relevant to your practice
20. the requirements for, and suitability of, surgical instrumentation and supplementary items for the clinical specialties relevant to your practice
21. the factors to consider in selecting surgical instrumentation and supplementary items
22. the importance of adhering to manufacturers' instructions regarding the preparation of surgical instrumentation and supplementary items for surgery
23. the importance of checking and confirming that surgical instrumentation and supplementary items are in a suitable condition prior to use
24. the ways in which the type of procedure and clinical specialty affects the instrumentation and supplementary items required by the surgical team
25. the principles, methods and techniques for monitoring surgical instrumentation and supplementary items
26. methods of care and handling of surgical instrumentation and supplementary items during use
27. the specific times at which checks must be carried out on surgical instrumentation and supplementary items during use
28. the importance of following procedures for the tracking and traceability of surgical instrumentation and supplementary items during use
29. the potential consequences of poor practice in relation to the handling of surgical instrumentation and supplementary items
30. ways in which the sterile field can be compromised during hand-over of items, and how this can be avoided
31. methods of effective communication with members of the perioperative care team during operative procedures
32. the individual responsibilities of all clinical team members in relation to monitoring and accounting for surgical instrumentation and supplementary items use during clinical procedures
33. the specific lines of accountability within the surgical team
34. how to complete and safely store all relevant documentation in accordance with organisational requirements

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

2

---

2026

---

Current

---

Original

---

Skills for Health

---

SFHPCS16

---

Health and Social Care, Health and Social Services Officers, Health Associate Professionals, Health Professionals, Health, Public Services and Care, Healthcare and Related Personal Services

---

2259

---

Perioperative, care, preparation, invasive, procedures

---