2
Durable surface
materials
Storage cabinets, shelving
and back tables are regularly dis-
infected, so they should be easy to
wipe down and shouldn't absorb
moisture. "Cleaning agents are
getting very caustic, so a lot of
materials that have been used pre-
viously just don't hold up well to
them," says Dr. Tingwald. "And
that creates surfaces that are very
porous and susceptible to harbor-
ing transmittable agents."
He suggests you stick with high-
density materials and finishes — aluminum, chrome and stainless
steel — that can be maintained for long periods of time and after mul-
tiple cleanings with highly corrosive materials.
OR floors should be solid surfaces with welded seams, according to
Dr. Tingwald, who says many suites are being designed with walls
made of solid-surface materials that are easily washable, very durable
and free of crevices where bacteria can hide.
3
Whole-room disinfection
No matter how strenuously, meticulously and thoroughly your
staff manually cleans and disinfects OR surfaces, there's always
a risk of them missing a spot. Installing an automated whole-room dis-
infection system, either portable or wall-mounted, in your new OR can
provide some backup and reassurance to their diligent elbow grease.
There are numerous automated, no-touch options available, such as
5 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • M A R C H 2 0 1 9
• EASY ACCESS In-room storage of often-used supplies lim-
its the number of times the OR door is opened during surgery.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR
