QuadMat: Clinician-Led Design for Safer, Smarter Surgical and Sterile Processing Spaces
Operating theatres and CSSD departments are high-risk clinical environments where fluid exposure is routine. Wet floors, cluttered workspaces, and unpredictable spill zones create daily challenges to staff safety and infection control.
Data from the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) show that 60 percent of surgical leaders report a staff member or surgeon has slipped or fallen in the operating theatre, with 25 percent of those incidents resulting in serious injury (AORN, 2017). Broader occupational health data reveal that slips, trips, and falls account for up to 25 percent of all workplace injuries in hospitals, making them the second most common cause of harm to healthcare staff (Shoes For Crews, 2023).
At Venture Medical, we believe these risks can be actively managed through practical innovation and strong clinical partnerships.
From Feedback to Function
Throughout early 2025, Venture Medical worked directly with theatre nurses, CSSD coordinators, and infection prevention leads and the message was consistent. Some absorbent mats were too large, obstructing theatre workflows. Others were too small to provide effective coverage. Every space and every case is different, and clinical teams need tools that adapt to them, not the other way around.
This feedback led to the development of the QuadMat, a high-performance absorbent mat designed specifically for surgical and sterile processing environments. It is modular by design, allowing users to shape its size to the clinical space.
A Flexible Response to Fluid Risk
Each QuadMat measures 1.2 m x 1.0 m and is perforated into four cleanly separable quadrants. This allows users to split the mat into halves or quarters as needed. Whether it is protecting under trays in CSSD or placed behind the scrub nurse in theatre, the QuadMat offers flexibility without compromising performance.
Key features include:
Absorbency tested to 7.2 litres
Non-slip backing for stability during procedures
Low profile and modular form, suitable for small or crowded spaces
Clinician-led design based on real-world preferences
Instead of prescribing how a mat should be used, QuadMat gives control back to the user. Teams can select, size, and position the mat to suit their exact case or environment.
Built with Clinicians, Not Just for Them
QuadMat represents more than product development. It reflects Venture Medical’s broader approach to innovation, one that starts with clinician input and continues through real-world testing and refinement.
In environments where every procedure is different and safety cannot be compromised, modularity and usability matter. By engaging directly with clinical teams, we have delivered a product that fits into workflows rather than disrupting them.
If your theatre or CSSD team would like to trial the QuadMat or discuss other ways we can support clinician-led product development, please contact us at customerservice@venturemed.co.nz.
References
Association of periOperative Registered Nurses. (2017). Prevent slips, trips and falls in the OR. Outpatient Surgery Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.aorn.org/outpatient-surgery/article/2017-October-prevent-slips-trips-falls-in-the-or
