Patient holding a rea- This is adjacent to OT where patient can be held, prepared for surgery, have intravenous ports set-up and be placed on cardiac monitor if required.

Substerile area- A restricted area with environmental controls similar to those found in the OT. It may contain cabinets for storing sterile supplies, a sink, and a small refrigerator for drugs and solutions. Access is through the OT only and is limited to people in appropriate surgical attire. If a contaminating event occurs at any time, regardless of where the scrubbed person or other members of the sterile team are, the break in technique must be corrected before the surgical procedure continues. Click for view of supply cabinet.

Scrub area- This area allows the OT personnel to scrub first and then prepare the instruments and sterile supplies required for the operation. It normally has at least one scrub sink adjacent to the OT, with a leaded glass observation window above, so that the surgical team can monitor the patient while at the same time scrubbing for the operation. A clock is provided over the scrub sinks for timing of scrubbing. A mixing valve to permit comfortable water temperature may be supplied for the scrub sinks. Click for view of scrub sink.

Post anaesthesia care unit (PACU)- The area where patients who have received anaesthesia for a surgical procedure are closely monitored as they recover from that event. This is sometimes called recovery area.

Clean work core- This is a restricted zone which acts as a service area between two or more OTs. This is where cabinets and sterile supplies used in the OTs are kept. No cross traffic of staff and supplies from the decontaminated/soiled areas to the sterile/clean areas is allowed here.