Environmental cleaning in sterile processing areas
Thorough environmental cleaning limits the number of microorganisms that can be transferred to the patient and the healthcare provider, thus helping to prevent healthcare-associated infections. A team consisting of perioperative nursing, sterile processing, environmental services, and infection prevention staff needs to be established to develop cleaning procedures for all areas…
For optimal OR design, play by the rules and get expert advice
Designing an OR suite involves detailed planning, knowledge of regulations, an interdisciplinary team, a laser focus on process, and even a little bit of luck. Keeping all the balls in the air requires a master juggler, and OR managers are uniquely suited for that role. Architects and planners use guidelines…
Don't err on air pressure: Joint Commission is watching
Moving quickly up the ranks of the top 10 most frequently scored standards for Joint Commission accreditation is EC.02.05.01. At the end of 2012, this standard was just barely in tenth place, with 34% of hospitals noncompliant. By the first half of 2013, it had moved to fourth place and…
OR traffic data demonstrate need to reduce door openings
Although limiting OR traffic can help reduce surgical site infections (SSIs), doing so can be a challenge in a busy OR. Two hospitals recently completed projects that successfully reduced traffic. At the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) in Iowa City, a guideline for limiting door openings significantly reduced…
A risk analysis of the steam sterilization process can improve patient safety
The steam sterilization process is complex and includes a number of important steps: decontamination, preparation and packaging, sterilization, quality control, sterile storage, and product distribution. The effectiveness of this process cannot be determined by inspection or testing of each product, and because sterility assurance is a probability function, it must…
Are you correctly using rigid sterilization containers for IUSS?
Although immediate-use steam sterilization (IUSS) is a safe method to sterilize emergently contaminated instruments, inappropriate use may lead to an increased risk for surgical site infection, according to a study in the American Journal of Infection Control. This study stated the only acceptable indicator for use of IUSS based on…
Cleaning audits lead to better environmental hygiene
Environmental hygiene is an ongoing concern in all hospitals because of its role in patient safety and infection control. Standardized processes can greatly improve the efficacy of OR cleaning, but continuous monitoring is needed to ensure compliance with those steps. Inconsistent cleaning processes, staff turnover, new equipment, and unclear expectations…
Using chemical sterilants and high-level disinfectants in health care facilities
The update of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation American National Standard Chemical sterilization and high-level disinfection in health care facilities, ANSI/AAMI ST58:2013, is available for purchase and should become part of health care facilities’ evidence-based library. Below is a brief description of the contents of the recommended…
APIC guide highlights role of ambulatory care in disaster response
A new publication by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) zeros in on the role of outpatient care facilities in responding to disasters—specifically, how they can prevent infection in their patients, staff, and the community at large. The guide, “Infection Prevention for Ambulatory Care Centers During…
Editorial
Despite increasingly stiff penalties, health care-associated infections persist. Total annual costs for the 5 major health care-associated infections are $9.8 billion, say researchers led by Eyal Zimlichman, MD, of the Center for Patient Safety Research and Practice at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston. Surgical site infections rack up about…
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