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O U T P AT 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 | M A R C H 2 0 1 4
down by teams —
MDs, RNs, surgical
techs and anesthesia
providers. The com-
petition is healthy.
Our heightened
awareness has
improved compli-
ance to between 90%
and 100%. When you
see poor hand hygiene practices, it's important that you point it out in
a kind, professional or even fun manner. That's the approach that's
most likely to improve compliance.
4. Administer antibiotics on time
When you order a pre-op antibiotic, it works best to have the anesthe-
siologist administer cefazolin during the pre-op consult, within the
required time, right before incision. This prevents the need for a sec-
ond dose if the pre-op RN administers it and the case ends up being
delayed. Our pre-op staff prepares the antibiotic and places the
labeled syringe at the patient's bedside for the anesthesiologist to
administer. On those rare occasions that we use vancomycin, the pre-
op RN administers it according to guidelines. Document when antibi-
otics are administered and the incision time, so your infection preven-
tionist can track compliance.
5. Keep patients warm
To reduce the risk of infection from hypothermia, we strive to keep
patients warm during the entire perioperative phase. When someone
is heading into surgery for a more invasive procedure — such as a
I N F E C T I O N P R E V E N T I O N
PROPHYLACTIC WARMING You'll reduce
the risk of infection if you keep patients
warm during the entire perioperative phase.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
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