Clean, scavenged and ready for the next case
anaesthetic machine cleaning scavenging ventilator Nov 09, 2026
Between cases, there is a quiet kind of vigilance that keeps patients safe before they ever reach the table. A clean workspace and a properly functioning scavenging system are not administrative details. They are part of the safety net that protects every patient who follows.
Anaesthetic equipment checks are not a once a day formality. Guidelines are clear that checks happen at several levels, from a thorough check at the start of a list through to a quick, focused check before each individual patient. Scavenging system function sits within this process, because waste anaesthetic gas that is not properly removed poses a real occupational and clinical risk. A workspace that has not been reset, wiped down and rechecked between cases carries hidden hazards, even when everything looks fine on the surface.
Here is what matters most between cases.
🧼 Confirm the breathing system and work surfaces have been cleaned and reset
💨 Check the scavenging system is connected and functioning correctly
🧯 Verify oxygen failure alarms and backup oxygen supply remain accessible
📋 Complete the pre-case check specific to that anaesthesia delivery system
🔁 Treat every new patient as a fresh check, not a continuation of the last
For the perianaesthesia nurse working alongside the anaesthetist before each case, this means actively supporting the pre-case check rather than assuming it has already been done. Flagging anything unusual, such as a lingering odour, a loose connection or an incomplete reset, is a genuine contribution to patient safety, not an overstep.
A tidy, scavenged, properly checked space between cases is one of the simplest ways we protect the next patient before they even arrive.
Hartle, A. et al. (2012). Checking Anaesthetic Equipment 2012. Anaesthesia, 67(6), 660-668.
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