They were able to
eliminate SSIs thanks
in large part to imple-
menting elements of
the hospital's new col-
orectal surgery care
bundle.
• From chin to toe.
Atrium Health-CHS
Lincoln's pre-op nurs-
es used to prep skin
around planned surgi-
cal sites with chlorhexidine gluconate wipes. Now, nurses wipe
patients' skin from chin to toe, a practice that covers skin well beyond
where surgeons plan to cut.
"Nurses don't necessarily know which approach surgeons will take
and exactly where they'll make incisions," explains Ms. Burwell.
"Wiping down the patient from chin to toe takes the guesswork out of
the process — and prepares more of the patient's skin area in the
event our surgeons need to make a longer-than-expected incision."
• At-home preparation. During pre-op assessments, each patient
receives a kit containing pre-surgery supplement drinks, chlorhexi-
dine gluconate bathing supplies and pre-op antibiotics ordered by
their physicians. Patients bathe with chlorhexidine gluconate at
home the night before surgery and drink the clear liquid supple-
ments on the morning of surgery 2 hours or more before the sched-
uled procedure.
• Room resets. At the end of surgery, and before wound closing,
the OR team removes dirty instruments from the sterile field and
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 8 1
• PACKAGE DEAL Every patient receives a kit containing CHG bathing supplies,
clear liquid carbohydrate-loaded drinks and pre-op antibiotics.
Atrium
Health-CHS
Lincoln
