OSE_1306_part2_Layout 1 6/3/13 3:41 PM Page 90
I N F E C T I O N
P R E V E N T I O N
with 4% CHG-containing liquid soap. Used in the shower, she
explains, the soap is lathered on, and then rinsed off. The compound still retains some of its antimicrobial effect, but not as
much as that delivered by a cloth vigorously wiped over the area
and not rinsed off.
Regulations requiring the public reporting of healthcare-associated infections have given a big push to patients' pre-op showering in the name of SSI prevention, says Mr. Wade. But because
this practice necessarily takes place in patients' homes, outside of
the perioperative environment, providing patients with adequate
instructions is a must for pre-op showering to be effective.
The packaging for CHG soap or wipes will include the manufacturers' directions for use, says Ms. Hanus, but it's advisable
for surgeons and staff to explain the products' uses to patients
themselves. Most notably, patients should thoroughly wash their
bodies, including their surgical sites, from the neck down and
avoid their genitals. After washing, they should don clean
clothes and sleep on clean bed sheets. OSM
E-mail dbernard@outpatientsurgery.net.
9 0
O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | J U N E 2013
