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Outpatient Surgery E-Weekly

Contact Congress Over Drug Shortage Issues

A Kentucky congressman is urging surgical facilities to contact their members of Congress and request that they sign his letter demanding changes to...

N.J. Posts ASC Inspection Reports Online

State and federal inspection reports of New Jersey's ASCs are now available online, giving patients an opportunity to make more informed choices abo...

Are Opioids Necessary?

While it's not always practical, or even possible, to eliminate opioids from your post-op pain management regiment, reducing their use in favor of n...

Archive >  Infection Control 2002

How to Maintain a Clean OR Environment

You can protect your patients from environmental surgical site infection outbreaks.

George Allen, PhD, CIC, CNOR

The operating room environment is not the primary source of surgical site infections (SSIs), thanks to traffic controls, efficient air flow and filtration systems, equipment draping, and good cleaning practices. Still, many members of the healthcare team take for granted that their environmental controls are working, and they may not truly understand the "hows" and "whys" of these controls. When members of your team are less aware than they should be, the chance of an SSI outbreak increases. To help you keep your staffers alert and educated, this article reviews some of the basic principles of environmental maintenance in the OR.

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Categories: Business Management, Equipping Your OR, Infection Control
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