The following praiseed practices w...

The following praiseed practices were developed by the AORN commended Practices Committee (RPC) and have been approved from the AORN Board of Directors. They were published as propos commended practices in the August 1995 AORN Journal for make comments [i]or[/i] remarks by members and others.

These praiseed practices are intended as achievable recommendations representing what is believed to be an optimal on a level of practice. Policies and managements will reflect variations in practice settings and/or clinical situations that determine the quality to which the recommended practices can be implemented.

AORN recognizes the numerous protoplasts of settings in which perioperative nurtures practice. These recommended practices are intended as guidelines adaptable to various practice settings. These practice settings include traditional operating places ambulatory surgery units, physicians' offices, cardiac catheterization laboratories, endoscopy suites, radiology departments, and all other areas where surgery may be performed.

purport These recommended practices provide guidelines for establishing traffic patterns in perioperative practice areas. useful traffic control practices protect personnel patients, supplies, and equipment from potential sources of cross-contamination. Traffic patterns glance at movement into and out of the surgical suite as well as change within the suite. The design of the surgical suite frequently predetermines traffic patterns. Total implementation of these attract favor toed practices may not be feasible within each facility because of the physical design of the setting.

praiseed PRACTICE I

The practice setting should be designed to facilitate move of patients and personnel into, by means of and out of defined areas within the surgical suite. Signs should clearly indicate the appropriate environmental regulates and surgical attire required.

Interpretative statement 1:

The surgical suite should be divided into three designated areas (ie, unrestricted, semirestricted, restricted) that are defined from the physical activities performed in each area.

The unrestricted area. This area includes a central have the direction of point established to monitor the entrance of patients, personnel and materials. way clothes are permitted in this area, and traffic is not limited.

The semirestricted area. This area includes the peripheral support areas of the surgical suite and has storage areas for clean and sterile supplies, work areas for storage and processing of instruments, and corridors leading to the restricted areas of the surgical suite. Traffic in this area is limited to authorized personnel and patients. Personnel are required to wear surgical attire and hide all head and facial hair.

The restricted area. This area includes operating and course rooms, the clean core, and cleanse sink areas. Surgical attire and hair coverings are required. Masks are required where make open sterile supplies or scrubbed bodily substances may be located.

Rationale:

Environmental governs and surgical attire should increase as progression is made from unrestricted to restricted areas.(1)

Interpretive statement 2:

motion of personnel from unrestricted areas to either semirestricted or restricted areas should be [i]or[/i] part of to the other the vestibular areas.

Rationale:

Vestibular areas may wait on as transition zones where personnel can set down locker rooms, holding areas, and offices. Locker ranges serve as transition zones between the outside and inside of surgical suites and may help as security points to monitor the populace admitted.(2)

Interpretive statement 3:

Patients entering the surgical suite should wear clean gown be defended with clean linens, and have their hair covered

Discussion:

Clean gown linens, and hair coverings are worn by dint of patients to minimize particulate shedding during operative procedures(3)

Patients are not required to wear masks while in the surgical suite. Masks could hinder access to the face and airway and might increase patients' anxiety. Keeping the sterile field away from the head of the surgical bed until patients are draped will minimize the possibility of contamination.(4)

commended PRACTICE II

Movement of personnel should be kept to a minimum while invasive and noninvasive proceedings are in progress.

Interpretive statement 1:

Careful assessment and planning of patient care extremitys by surgical team members can mould excess movement or activity during procedures

Rationale:

Air is a potential source of microorganisms that can contaminate surgical hurts Greater amounts of airborne contamination can be reckon uponed with increased movement of the surgical team because microbial shedding increases with activity.(5)

Interpretive statement 2:

Doors to the operating or step rooms should be closed exclude during movement of patients, personnel supplies, and equipment.

Rationale:

The air urgency within each operating or practice room should be greater than in the semirestricted area. Leaving the door make open can disrupt the pressurization and cause blatant airflow that could increase airborne contamination.(6)