Infection in the operating room can starts at the time any personnel require to enter the operating room when they are about to wear an attire. There should be a sufficient supply of clean operating attire and we often called it Scrub Suits which are lint free, no holes, daily washed and free of dust and dirt.(Williams, 2008). A Scrub suit is considered to be one of the Personal Protective Equipment designed to illicit any threat of infection to the wearer, patient and the environment (Jacob 2007). In a developing country, it is a requirement to wear surgical face mask and surgical cap whenever you are about to enter the operating room premises at any time of the day. It was observed and studied into a case to case basis that primarily wearing these two matters most on the inhibiting the diffusion of any nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal and even hair follicles not only from the surgical team but applicable to all personnel entering and staying inside the …show more content…
Sterility of items should be checked by the Scrub and the Circulating Nurse prior to use, which means that there should be a proper storage and adequate space for all sterile items and supplies which are maintained in a normal room temperature and are not kept near not sterile items specially wet items, and protected from direct sunlight” (Pramann, SherilynThe Nurse ’ s Role in the Perioperative Experience, 2010). Scrub Nurses or Scrub Technicians are responsible for preparing and cleaning the patient’s surgical site, managing and controlling the sterility of the field and the surrounding sterile environment, arranging and preparing and holds accountability of the sterile items that are opened by the Circulating Nurse (Pramann, SherilynThe Nurse ’ s Role in the Perioperative Experience,
Yacopetti, N., Davidson, P., Blacka, J., & Spencer, T. (2013). Preventing contamination at the time of central venous catheter insertion: a literature review and recommendations for clinical practice. Journal Of Clinical Nursing, 22(5/6), 611-620. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2702.2012.04340.x
There have been an incidents of prolonged hospital stay due to central line infections putting patients at risk for mortality, morbidity, and increase in medical cost. When central lines are placed at bedside or in interventional radiology, the inserter is required to document the steps and sterile procedure that took place in the electronic health record. Furthermore, with weekly and as needed dressing changes, nurses are required to use central line bundles and document what was used (ex: Chloraprep, biopatch, tegaderm, etc.) to track how the dressing was done. From these documented records, staff can gather data and measure the compliance of sterile procedure. Additionally, if a patient with a central line develops a fever without an unknown cause physician will order blood culture from the central line if catheter-related infection is suspected. If the test comes back positive, the team will initiate antibiotics immediately. By integrating electronic health records it can assist in CLABSI prevention strategies, raise the standard for best practices, and essentially reduce central line infections. With the quarterly results of CLABSI in our unit, CVC committee have re-educated the staff on appropriate dressing changes using sterile technique, transitioned to a different end
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines hand hygiene as, “a general term that applies to routine hand washing, antiseptic hand wash, antiseptic hand rub, or surgical hand antisepsis.” (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2013) The idea of hand washing has been around for centuries. In the mid-1800’s Ignaz Semmelweis established that hospital-acquired diseases were transmitted via the hands of health care workers. After Semmelweis observed physicians and health care workers in the obstetric setting and studied mortality rates he recommended that hands be scrubbed in a chlorinated lime solution before coming in contact with every patient. Following the implementation of Semmelweis’s recommendation mortality rates associated with childbirth fell from seven percent to three percent. Although Semmelweis observation and recommendations were significant fellow physicians and colleagues did not adopt them. The 1980’s posed as a crucial time for health care in the sense of hand hygiene. This was when the first national hand hygiene guidelines were published in the 1980s. In 1995 and 1996, the CDC/Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) in the USA suggested that either antimicrobial soap or a waterless antiseptic agent be use...
This literature review will analyze and critically explore four studies that have been conducted on hand hygiene compliance rates by Healthcare workers (HCWs). Firstly, it will look at compliance rates for HCWs in the intensive care units (ICU) and then explore the different factors that contribute to low hand hygiene compliance. Hospital Acquired infections (HAI) or Nosocomial Infections appear worldwide, affecting both developed and poor countries. HAIs represent a major source of morbidity and mortality, especially for patients in the ICU (Hugonnet, Perneger, & Pittet, 2002). Hand hygiene can be defined as any method that destroys or removes microorganisms on hands (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). According to the World Health Organization (2002), a HAI can be defined as an infection occurring in a patient in a hospital or other health care facility in whom the infection was not present or incubating at the time of admission. The hands of HCWs transmit majority of the endemic infections. As
So that there no exposed to bacteria or sickness, because there around opened bodies all the time. After they have cleaned the operating room up, they will keep posted on the patient, clean their wounds, clean their rooms, with new pillows new bedsheets, and keeping the patient healthy. The surgical technologist will keep the surgeon in check just in case of emergencies, bleed outs, and in case of the patient failing.
Kamila mentions that most surgeons and doctors performed services without proper medical equipment like “clean water, bandages, antiseptics, or anesthesia” (Lemmon, 2011, p.
(2014) shed light on two key components for infection control, which includes protecting patients from acquiring infections and protecting health care workers from becoming infected (Curchoe et al., 2014). The techniques that are used to protect patients also provide protection for nurses and other health care workers alike. In order to prevent the spread of infections, it is important for health care workers to be meticulous and attentive when providing care to already vulnerable patients (Curchoe et al., 2014). If a health care worker is aware they may contaminate the surroundings of a patient, they must properly clean, disinfect, and sterilize any contaminated objects in order to reduce or eliminate microorganisms (Curchoe et al., 2014). It is also ideal to change gloves after contact with contaminated secretions and before leaving a patient’s room (Curchoe, 2014). Research suggests that due to standard precaution, gloves must be worn as a single-use item for each invasive procedure, contact with sterile sites, and non-intact skin or mucous membranes (Curchoe et al., 2014). Hence, it is critical that health care workers change gloves during any activity that has been assessed as carrying a risk of exposure to body substances, secretions, excretions, and blood (Curchoe et al.,
One day, this writer happened to see another nurse changing a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Line dressing. As a nurse leader, this writer asked the nurse why she is changing the dressing. The caregiver explained dressing changes can prevent infection to the site and there are lot of patients readmitted because of central line infections and subsequent complications. This nurse demonstrated good kn...
Time out was done by the anesthesiologist, the circulating nurse, the surgeon, and the scrub tech all pausing before the surgery and verifying the patient’s name and date of birth, the procedure being done, the site and location on the body in which the procedure was being done, and documented the count of all the equipment the scrub nurse had before surgery to compare to after surgery. 5. The patient’s privacy was protected and respected throughout the whole surgical procedure. The staff was very professional and I felt I learned a lot from them during my OR experience. 6. A sponge count is when the scrub nurse counts the sponges that are unused before the surgery she relays this to the circulating nurse and it is documented. After the surgery the count is redone to make sure that there are no sponges left in the patient. 7. The circulating nurse documents the information and signs the chart in the operating room. From pre-op to the operating room the nurses in pre-op gave off report to the circulating nurse by SBAR. From the operating room to PACU the anesthesiologist went with the patient and handed off the patient’s condition and information to the nurse in there. 8. There were no ethical or legal issues that were raised during my observation in the whole surgical process. 9. I learned how the whole operating procedure works from start to finish, all the legal paperwork involved, and how the team interacts and helps each other out to give the patient a safe and
...s and hoses, control buttons, switches, hand pieces, and X-ray units (Collins). After every patient’s visit, the operatory is to be sterilized and disinfected. All areas that were that were not covered with a barrier, or if the barrier was compromised, must be wiped down with surface disinfectants similarly used in hospitals. OSHA requires disinfectants to be potent enough to fight against HIV and HBV infections (Collins). If there is any blood present on a surface, tuberculocidal type disinfectant should be utilized.
Although the importance of aseptic technique has been continually reiterated, I have realised its substantial role in the perioperative environment. Aseptic technique refers to the practice of creating and maintaining a sterile environment used for sterile procedures (Laws, 2010a). This is incredibly important as repetitive minor breaches of the sterile environment is one of the major factors increasing the risk of surgical site infection (Harrop et al., 2012).
“Researchers in London estimate that if everyone routinely washed their hands, a million deaths a year could be prevented” (“Hygiene Fast Facts”, 2013, p. 1). Hands are the number one mode of transmission of pathogens. Hands are also vital in patient interaction, and therefore should be kept clean to protect the safety of patients and the person caring for the patient. Hand hygiene is imperative to professional nursing practice because it prevents the spread of pathogens, decreases chances of hospital-acquired infections, and promotes patient safety. There is a substantial amount of evidence that shows why hand hygiene is important in healthcare
As medical assistants, we are required to wear scrubs as our uniform. Our such uniform should not be wrinkled instead it must be in clean and neat condition. In addition, facilities require employees to wear their identification card or badges within the premises at all times. It helps the patient and other staff members, if working in a bigger facility, to identify that you are an employee. It also reassures patients that they are given proper care by a reliable and professional employee. Moreover, in a healthcare facility it is best to wear long sleeves shirt under you scrubs instead of wear...
Gloves are considered the most compliant out of all PPE, but when full mask, gown, gloves, and other forms of PPE are used at once, I was often asked by the patient and visitors, “why are you putting on all that stuff?” It is important that the patients and visitors understand the purpose of PPE implementation to increase the chances of their compliance. There are often negative views and attitudes about PPE. To the patient and their visitors, it can psychologically take a toll on them because they believe their condition is getting worse and they are perceived as contagious. I have also observed that patient visitors are not complying with PPE and may think they are exempt because they are not the health care providers. I feel that they do not understand that they, too, should be complying with PPE. Health care providers often have a negative view on PPE because it can often impair the ability to work, for example palpating a vein for an IV insertion. Despite the negativity revolving around proper PPE, there are also positive attitudes about complying. When wearing the proper PPE, it allows health care providers to do their jobs while protecting themselves and the patient. Since health care providers go to different rooms throughout their shifts, it ultimately prevents exposing others to infectious diseases, which can prevent future infection and save lives. It is important to remember that PPE is there for a reason, if it was not proven to be effective, it would not be
Due to the fact that during a surgery you will be using your hands you must be very careful even if you are wearing safety equipment. Protective wear can help tremendously by eliminating any easy route of transmission of any viruses, or diseases etc. Through medical school it will be required that surgeons wear gear that will protect them. Always wear protective gear no matter how little the operation could be, surgeons will always be exposed to some kinds of bacteria which can be foreign to your own. According to Paul A. Ruggieri M.D.’s novel, “I love being a surgeon. I love being able to make a clear, tangible difference in the quality of a person’s life. Sometimes I even save a life. I am honored every time a patient comes to me, and I’m humbled at the trust that’s given.” Surgeons should have the same mindset as Dr. Ruggieri because making a difference in someone else 's life should be a huge priority. They should want to help someone with their problems. Surgeons leave a mark on other people’s life, and it should always be a positive one. The satisfaction knowing a surgery was performed on someone and treated their problems would feel