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G L O V E S
undetected in 25% of gloves worn by the primary surgeon and 12% of
all other gloves worn during a procedure. Additionally, the more
instruments you use during surgery, the more you should be checking
your gloves, says T. Forcht Dagi, MD, MPH, MPA, a neurosurgeon and
chairman of the Committee on Perioperative Care for the ACS. AORN
recommends gloves be changed every 90 to 150 minutes during a procedure.
Engineer the process
Engineering the process to promote a culture of safety is one of the
best ways to encourage compliance. That's what Gonzalo M.L.
Bearman, MD, MPH, professor of infectious diseases at Virginia
Commonwealth University, discovered when he surveyed VCU surgeons. For example, make sure colored gloves and a variety of sizes
are readily available to the surgeon and the surgical team, he says.
VCU Medical Center has incorporated double gloving into its OR
checklist, asking whether double gloves will or won't be worn for specific procedures.
Surgical residents who are mentored by surgeons who double glove
will be more likely to continue to double glove throughout their
careers, adds Dr. Dagi. "Get surgeon buy-in, find a surgeon champion
who will advocate for double gloving and other safety issues," says Dr.
Bearman. OSM
Ms. Guterl (gog uterl@g mail.com) is a contributing editor.
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