CHG or povidone-iodine prod-
ucts for all cases. How do you
determine the appropriate
prepping agent? By the surgical
site location (different skin-
prepping agents are intended
for different parts of the anato-
my), the prep's effectiveness
against SSI risks and patient
sensitivities, among other fac-
tors.
Variability is the enemy
of standardization
The literature is filled with evi-
dence that says you should
standardize your skin prep,
both the solution you use and
the technique you use to apply it. If you don't have a uniform process,
you could be introducing infection. The thinking goes: When you stan-
dardize, you simplify and enhance protocol compliance and therefore
solidify your surgical site infection prevention efforts.
Easier said than done, right? Many surgeons have very strong feel-
ings about skin preps. Like the doc at Volunteer Community Hospital
in Martin, Tenn., who'd berate the RN circulator for using the newfan-
gled wand-type scrub instead of old-school betadine, his prep of
choice.
"He wanted his own prep, his own way, and he was mad she would-
n't change for him," says Mike Morel, CRNA, the hospital's director of
anesthesia services. "He always had a problem with the prep: the
J a n u a r y 2 0 1 7 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 1 4 3
• PROPER ATTIRE Don gloves and wear long sleeves when applying a prep.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
