OR Electrical Safety - Part 1
How many Amps is accepted as the maximum harmless current intensity?
5x minimum required for perception 0.005 A
What frequency does AC occur?
60 Hz
What is the effect of 0.05 Amps?
= 5x "let go" current pain / fainting / mechanical injury HEART + RESPIRATORY FUNCTIONS INTACT
What composes a simple circuit?
(+) side (-) side ground
What would lead to a shock from an isolated circuit?
- two point contact w/ isolated circuit + ground - poor insulation around wire - wires exposed to H2O and someone in contact w/ water
______ Amps will result in the recommended max ______ Hz leakage current.
0.00001 A; 60-Hz
When directly stimulating the heart, how many Amps will cause vFib?
0.0001 A
A current of _____ Amps will result in threshold of perception.
0.001 A
Considering MACROshocks, how many Amps will cause vFib?
0.1-0.3 Amps RESPIRATORY CENTER INTACT
What composes a complete circuit?
voltage simple circuit
What is an isolation transformer?
Converts electrical power from the primary side (hospital) to the secondary side (OR) Helps prevent MACROshocks
T/F: electricity is able to flow in incomplete circuits.
FALSE - electricity is NOT able to flow a circuit must be complete
The (-) side of a simple circuit is _____.
neutral
What would happen if someone used faulty equipment in which the grounding wire was broken and the device was plugged into an isolated power system?
NO SHOCK WOULD OCCUR to the individual
What occurs if a hot wire gets disrupted?
No flow
What is AC electricity?
alternative current, where e- flow REVERSES at a set frequency
Define electrical current.
amount of charge flowing/unit time
Electricity is the change in ______________ caused by ___________________.
potential energy; movement of e- d/t a charge gradient (high charge density --> low)
What does DC electricity indicate?
direct current - flow of e- in one direction
For a given resistance, voltage and current are inversely/directly related.
directly related higher voltage = higher current flow
What can a charge create? Why?
electrical current; they can move
What can static electricity cause in the OR?
fire + patient injury (lines have transducers)
Electricity is commonly thought of as ____________ through a conducting material.
flow of charge
What safety measure reduces potential for getting shocked in the OR?
grounding (low resistance)
A (+) charge is considered high/low density.
high density
The (+) side of a simple circuit is ______.
hot / live
What is Coulomb's (electrostatic) Law?
magnitude of electrostatic force + distance relationship opposite charges are attracted to each other more with decreased distance between them
Where are electrical vectors directed if it is low density (-)?
towards the source charge opposite for (+)
Electricity must have ____________ for electrical flow to occur.
a complete circuit
Define circuit.
loop of e-
______% of all electrical injuries in a hospital happen in the OR.
40%
When a shock occurs, which is affected first as current increases - cardiac or respiratory system?
1. Cardiac 2. Respirations
What is considered the "let go" current? What does this cause?
10x minimum required for perception --> let go 0.01-0.02 Amps; sustained muscle contraction
What does a hot wire do?
Brings electricity to something
Describe the isolation transformer in the OR.
Hospital current (primary) --> OR isolation transformer (secondary) - neutral line is ungrounded - ground is grounded
T/F: When using a short-circuited, faulty piece of equipment with an isolated power system will not usually trip the circuit breaker.
TRUE safety measure for life-support equipment so it doesn't shut down
What is Ohm's Law?
V = IR V: Voltage in volts I: Current in amperes R: Resistance in ohms
The OR is considered what type of area?
WET
Where do we see AC electricity?
both sides of isolation transformer from the OR side
What does a neutral wire do?
brings current back to its source to form a completed loop
How does the use of an isolation transformer in the OR help prevent shocks?
circuits of electrical OR equipment become electrically isolated from ground
Define electricity.
combination of (+)/(-) charges
What is the standard unit of electricity?
coulombs
What is a MICROshock?
current --> heart directly
What is a MACROshock?
current --> skin before reaching destination
The magnitude of a charge is increased/decreased with distance.
decreased inversely related
What is static electricity caused by?
lack of ground
Define electrical circuit.
loop formed by wire that has a voltage source attached to it like a battery
What happens if a neutral wire is disrupted?
shock can occur
What would cause a shock if an isolation transformer is being used?
someone has to have contact with BOTH isolated circuits + ground
What is required to generate electricity?
source of voltage 2 points at differing electric potentials closed circuit that is able to conduct charge.
What is the effect of a 6 Amp MACROshock?
sustained myocardial contraction --> normal rhythm temporary respiratory paralysis burns (if high density)