Terri Link, BSN, an ambulatory education specialist with the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, provided a step-by-step guide to infection prevention in ASCs during the 2020 AORN Virtual Global Surgical Conference, according to OR Management News.
Five strategies for infection prevention in ASCs:
1. Conduct a risk assessment to determine where efforts should be concentrated. Facilities can do this by checking lab results, emailing physicians and performing chart reviews.
2. Form an infection prevention committee comprising preoperative and postoperative nurses, physicians, scrub personnel, environmental service workers, sterile processing leaders and front desk staff.
3. Identify potential risks based on the ASC's unique characteristics, as well as the likelihood that these issues will occur and their potential ramifications. Prioritize risks based on this information.
4. Select an internal benchmark or a national benchmark against which to measure infection prevention progress.
5. Limit the number of major goals included in the infection plan to three or four. Each objective should be measurable.
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ASC leaders on top priorities during COVID-19 pandemic
How to stay competitive in an evolving market — 5 insights for ASC leaders
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