Regardless of the facility where a surgical procedure is performed,
the same basic surgical infection prevention measures
must be reliably implemented (ie, prophylactic antibiotics,
aseptic and sterile technique, use of PPE, careful prepping and
draping, removal of patient hair outside of the OR if required,
full containment of staff member hair). In addition, patients
should be instructed to perform a preoperative antiseptic bath
or shower. In the OR, team members must prep the patient’s
skin with dual-agent solutions (eg, alcohol plus another antiseptic
such as chlorhexidine gluconate [CHG] or povidone
iodine).16 If involved in surgical case observation, an IP can
assess all these areas and may be able to help identify
improvement opportunities or areas in which practices vary
from prescribed protocol. For example, because hair can
harbor bacteria and the head and body shed hair and skin
cells, all body hair should be covered (ie, with a surgical cap
for both staff and patient, cover jacket for nonscrubbed staff
members) to prevent this shedding and remove a possible
source of an SSI