BSM Senior Consultant Crissy Benze, MSN, RN, shared four commonly overlooked infection control policies and procedures with The Joint Commission. Here's what clinical directors and infection control coordinators should know.
1. Apply standard precautions to all patients regardless of diagnoses.
"The basic rule of thumb is to consider all your patients as 'infected' and treat them with the highest level of precaution," Ms. Benze said. Standard precautions include hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, safe injection practices, personnel safety, patient placement, patient care equipment, care of the environment and laundry.
2. Keep a minimal amount of supplies in the OR.
Store any supplies kept in the OR in cabinets and drawers or covered carts, and don't expose supplies until the time they're needed for surgery.
3. Clean the OR between each surgical procedure.
Cleaning shouldn't begin until a patient has left the OR and any soiled instruments are removed from the room. Cleaning should be complete before the next patient enters.
4. Adhere to traffic patterns in the surgical suite.
ASCs are designed to accommodate specific traffic patterns involving three designated areas: restricted, semi-restricted and unrestricted. ORs and other areas where operative or invasive procedures are performed are considered restricted areas. Personnel in these spaces should wear masks, have hair covering and open doors minimally when sterile supplies are open.