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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 | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 4
Do you instruct your patients to bathe, shower
or wash before their scheduled surgeries?
• Yes: 86.5% • No: 13.5%
While there is strong evidence that patients' pre-op antiseptic bathing,
showering or wiping reduces the amount of microorganisms present
on the skin before incision, current research is inconclusive on
whether this in turn reduces the incidence of SSIs. Public health
authorities and professional organizations agree, however, that the
potential benefits of pre-emptive skin prepping generally outweigh
any risks involved and recommend some form of pre-op bathing.
In prescribing the practice to patients, many find it useful to adminis-
ter a bit of infection prevention education to highlight its importance.
Emphasize that good post-surgical results are a joint effort, and empow-
er patients to play a pre-op role in their own care. Patients at Crestwood
Medical Center in Huntsville, Ala., are told that "post-op wound infec-
tions are a known complication. We must work together as a team to
have the best outcomes for surgery," says Susan Bryce, RN, BSN, MBA,
assistant chief nursing officer. "Most wound infections come from the
bacteria that naturally exist on your skin, so bathing helps to reduce the
amount of bacteria and thereby the chance for a post-op infection."
Who is more likely to instruct patients
to take pre-op baths or showers?
• The surgical facility, through a pre-op call: 49.4%
• The physician, during a pre-op visit: 16.7%
• Both: 24.4%
• Neither: 9.5%
According to our respondents, it is incumbent upon a surgical facili-
ty's nursing staff to make the recommendation that patients bathe
before surgery. "Inform patients at the time of scheduling about pre-
P R E - O P B A T H I N G
