w Some of our surgeons and many of our anesthesiologists love their
skullcaps, but I banned the headwear after the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services and The Joint Commission cited us over it dur-
ing our 2016 survey. Yes, there are still some who don't like our poli-
cy, but they abide by it. After you've been in health care for a while,
you find that things are constantly changing. We're going to focus on
providing the safest patient care possible and not sweat the small
stuff.
Vicki V. Schultz, RN, CASC
Texas Health Women's Dallas, Texas
Specialty Surgery Center vschultz@thwssc.com
w It's not nursing staff that dictate what kind of headwear is allowed in
the OR, it is AORN, The Joint Commission or whichever governing
body's guidelines you adopted into policy. Policy is the law in any
healthcare organization. Because facility administrators are generally
not in the OR, it falls to the nurse to enforce the policies. About 95%
of doctors, nurses and staff comply with the skullcap rule without any
problems, as we generally have more relevant issues to deal with.
There is plenty of evidence for and against skullcaps, but it does not
matter, if your policy doesn't allow them. We all have to follow the
rules.
Joel Marquis, RN Portland, Maine
Intermed Day Surgery Center jmarquis@intermed.com
w This discussion seems "silly" indeed. Imagine a grown man, a sur-
geon, needing a special hat to show he's in charge.
Margaret Crowder, RN Merritt Island, Fla.
Atlantic Surgery & Laser Center margaret@atlanticeyemd.com
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