Q: AORN's guidelines also cover the issues of surgical site hair
removal and the selection and application of skin prep solutions.
Should those practices be addressed in surgical bundles?
A: While the clipping of hair is partly a dogmatic practice (some sur-
geons still order it every time) and partly a pragmatic practice (hair
saturated with alcohol-based prep can create a risk of fire) it's not as
urgent an intervention as the application of an antiseptic agent,
whether CHG or povidone-iodine — both of which have uses on the
anatomy and should be on hand.
Q: Unlike other antimicrobial interventions, the practice of pre-op
showering is entirely in patients' hands. How can we ensure uniform
results?
A: Timely reminders are especially effective. Elective procedures
like orthopedic surgeries are scheduled 10 to 14 days out, so it's not
only important to instruct patients in a standardized protocol — how
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O U T PAT 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 | February 2015
