Sutures and the operating room nurse: criteria in forecasting the need for sutures and provisioning according to nature of the hospital institution

Abstract

The study has identified and described criteria adopted by the nurses in selecting and calculating quantities of surgical sutures to supply the Surgical Center, according to the public or private nature of the surgical centers. The data were collected using structured questionnaires in 74 hospitals within the municipality of São Paulo. The majority of hospitals are medium in size and privately owned with a general Operation Room and up to 500 surgical procedures performed per month. The procedures, the type and the variety of surgical sutures are related to the nature of hospital management. However, there are no criteria to select surgical sutures and their distribution in the operation rooms. The nurses participate on the procedures for purchasing, distribution and use of the surgical sutures.