1 2 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 9
O
n those rare occasions when a patient contracts a surgical
site infection, we want to preserve as much evidence in the
case as possible so we'll be better able to find the source of
the infection and take corrective action. For us, it's the "Patient Peel
Pack Log," a binder where we place the peel pack and the autoclave
indicator tape with the load number of the instruments used on a spe-
cific patient, along with the time and date. We write the names of the
instruments on the sterilization labels and place them next to the
patient information sticker in the log. We can easily go back when
we're doing a root cause analysis and figure out if there was a prob-
lem with the sterilization of the instruments.
Denesha Burns, RN
Boynton Beach (Fla.) ASC
denesha@fleyedocs.com
ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS
Preserving Evidence In the Event of an SSI
• DETECTIVE SQUAD Tracy Hickman,
CST, CSFA, Denesha Burns, RN, and
Cynthia Adams, CST, show off Boynton
Beach ASC's Patient Peel Pack Log.
Boynton
Beach
ASC
• FOR THE RECORD The Peel Pack Log at Boynton Beach (Fla.) ASC links patients
to instrument load numbers to help determine the source of an SSI.
Ideas That Work
IW