ed from aqueous preps to
alcohol-based ones, Ms.
Nucci says she doesn't see
enough investing in prod-
ucts that prevent cross-
contamination. "Facilities
should use a sterile single-
use prep every time," she
says, "as well as mandate
annual training and audits
of staff members that per-
form surgical preps to
ensure compliance with
AORN standards and man-
ufacturer instructions."
Surface
cleaning wipes
Nearly 25% of respondents say they're still using a surface clean-
ing disinfectant that has a dry time of 5 minutes or longer.
"There's no need to use these when we have shorter dry times
available," says Ms. Nucci. "If you have a solution with a 10-
minute dwell time, your staffer is likely going to have to wipe that
down every minute for 10 minutes. That's just not practical."
Also consider your employees' safety. More than one-third
(35%) of respondents say they're using a liquid solution or a
spray to clean their ORs, which Ms. Nucci notes could expose
staffers to hazardous chemicals. Instead, she says regulatory
bodies, including OSHA, encourage the use of wipes.
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O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
z PRE-OP PREP Patients
undergoing general or ortho-
pedic procedures should use
CHG soap or wipes for 2 to 3
days pre-operatively, says
Donna Nucci, RN, CIC, infec-
tion preventionist at Yale-
New Haven Hospital.
