9 0
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 | O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4
Answer
: b
Ramona Conner, MSN, RN, CNOR, manager of standards and recom-
mended practices at AORN, has said that attitudes have changed and
that the current recommendation is that the floor be mopped in high-
traffic areas or when there's a spill. With cataract surgeries, for exam-
ple, where patients may be moving in and out every 5 or 10 minutes, it
may not be practical or necessary to mop every square inch every
time.
8
As long as we observe hand hygiene guidelines and thoroughly clean
and disinfect the OR, we've done all we can to minimize infection
risks to patients.
a.
true
b.
false
Answer
: b
Everyone tends to focus on the OR proper, and rightfully so, but don't
ignore other areas, like the core area right outside the OR. You must
have policies, procedures and schedules for taking care of ancillary
areas as well. There are things that can get overlooked, like those big,
heavy-duty rubber mats that are often found near scrub sinks.
Environmental service staff may forget to lift them up on at least a daily
basis to clean underneath them. They often have holes in them, and
when water splashes off arms or sinks and gets under the mats, that
becomes a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.
Break rooms are another example of often overlooked areas. People
are very nonchalant about leaving uncovered food lying around or about
not emptying garbage. Often, break rooms are in the basement, near the
loading dock, making it easy for flies to get in and, make a beeline to
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