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D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 | O U T P AT 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
A sizable faction of OR personnel don't always agree or don't always
follow the head-to-toe dress code or other guidelines, either because
they think they know better or they simply don't like being told how
to practice. That's what got us thinking about this month's cover story,
"What's the Harm?" on page 22. With the help of our readers, we teed
up a few of surgery's sacred rules and regulations and took a swipe at
them. Our story is sure to tick some off.
Chief among the sacred rules is the home-laundering of scrubs.
Whether to launder scrubs at home or at an accredited healthcare
laundry facility is a highly emotional issue for some. AORN states all
items worn in the semi-restricted and restricted areas must be facility-
laundered. When we asked nearly 500 readers last month if they let
their staff launder scrubs at home, 29% said yes. "Since you asked," a
reader says, "why is it okay for the surgeon to wear in scrubs but staff
can't?" Which begs another question: Why
do we react so strongly to AORN rec-
ommended practices?
"Nurses react strongly
because following the
guidelines sometimes
requires changes in prac-
tices and long-standing
beliefs and routines," says
Ramona Conner, MSN, RN, CNOR,
editor-in-chief of AORN's
Guidelines for Perioperative
Practice. "These changes may
require fundamental changes in the
organization's culture and personal
practices. Change is always diffi-
InstaPoll
Do you let your staff
launder scrubs at home?
yes 29%
no 71%
SOURCE: Outpatient Surgery
Magazine InstaPoll, November
2015, n=472