hits the start button on the
timer, and the three-minute
prep drying countdown
begins. When the timer beeps,
that's the scrub tech's cue to
drape the patient. By using
this system, the whole group
is aware of the three minutes
of dry time. To ensure every-
one knew their roles, we cre-
ated prep charts that map out
who's responsible for what.
We also updated the surgeons'
preference cards to include
our algorithm.
• Encouraged feedback. We tasked our circulating nurse with tak-
ing ownership of the prepping process, but we also encouraged every-
one in the OR to speak up if they witnessed noncompliance. Every
person in the OR is ultimately responsible for the safety of the patient
and to prevent SSIs as best they can by adhering to best practice.
• Followed up on noncompliance. When we learned of a breach in
process, we reminded team member involved of our standard
process. These reminders aren't punitive; they're meant to be con-
structive and informative. Conversely, we feel it's important to rein-
force positive behavior. During huddles, we encourage leaders to rec-
ognize staff members who apply prepping solutions correctly and fol-
low dry-time compliance.
Correcting course
With our program in place for several months, we performed another
6 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0
• COUNT DOWN After three minutes of dry time, the digital timer
beeps, alerting the scrub tech that it's time to drape.
David
Reidy/CHOC