3 3
M AY 2 0 1 4 | S U P P L E M E N T T O 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
unnoticed?
The point is that every team member must practice excellent aseptic technique
every day, every time. Not only should you have your hair tucked in with no ear-
rings hanging out, you should gown and glove appropriately, and set up using
proper aseptic technique. The environment must be clean. The instruments need
to be properly processed and stored. All of these factors together provide protec-
tion and add up to a safer environment for your patients.
Reinforcing the basics of barrier protection on an ongoing basis through staff
education and in-services is vital. AORN standards are a great resource and striving
to meet them is a worthy goal. Vendors, too, have much to contribute to the
process, as they offer research updates and in-services.
Above all, though, surgical conscience — caring enough to always do what we
know is right — serves as the most important barrier of all.
OSM
Ms. DiNobile (
cdinob ile@neit.edu
) is a professor in the surgical technology depart-
ment at the New England Institute of Technology in East Greenwich, R.I.
P E R S O N A L P R O T E C T I O N
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