override what you know to be right. The choices you make can send a
powerful message to your surgeons and staff and help motivate them
to make the same choices. Here are 3 areas to focus on right away. I
chose these practices because this is where I see consistent breaks in
safe-attire practices and also because there's evidence you can share
with your practice-breaking colleagues.
Head coverings
Most surgeons have a strong preference for skullcaps. The skull-
cap, often personalized with the logos of a favorite sports team or alma
mater, is symbolic of the surgical profession. It signifies "surgeon." But
these caps sit above the ears, leaving lots of hair uncovered. Regardless
of their popularity, we can't rely on skullcaps to contain hair above and in
front of the ears or at the nape of the neck. We know for a fact that we
1
A P R I L 2 0 1 7 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 1 4 7
• DOUBLE HAZARD Home laundering of scrubs not only fails
to get them clean, it may also expose family members to
pathogenic organisms.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
• OFF THE JOB When you wear scrubs to and from work, are
you ferrying pathogens from the OR to the home and every-
where in between?
Home-laundered Scrubs Home-laundered Scrubs Scrubs Outside the OR Scrubs Outside the OR
