6 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • M A R C H 2 0 1 7
Y
ou've probably been hearing a lot lately about how nasal
decolonization is helping hospitals and surgery centers
tilt the fight against surgical site infections in their favor.
Instead of an antibiotic ointment like mupirocin, you
apply a topical antiseptic to reduce the microbial burden
in the nares, a reservoir for bacteria that escape typical hygiene proto-
cols such as hand washing. Maybe that's why I call nasal decoloniza-
tion "hand hygiene for your nose."
Hand Hygiene
For Your Nose
Nasal decolonization gave our existing
infection control protocols a boost —
without using antibiotics.
Anita Mullen, RN, BSN
Arlington, Texas
• NOSE SWAB A pre-op nurse administers a topical anti-
septic to a patient at Baylor Orthopedic and Spine Hospital
at Arlington.
Baylor
Orthopedic
&
Spine
Hospital