Surgical site infections are the top reason for unplanned readmissions in U.S. hospitals. Clinicians can help reduce SSIs — and therefore, readmissions — by properly preparing patients' skin prior to surgery.
"Safe skin preparation for perioperative patients is one very important way you can help reduce the risk of a surgical site infection developing," Amber Wood, RN, a perioperative nursing specialist with the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, told Periop Insider.
In a recent Periop Insider newsletter, Ms. Wood answered four commonly asked questions about pre-op skin prep. Two of her responses are summarized below.
Q: What's the best alternative skin antiseptic to use when a patient has an allergy?
For this question, Ms. Wood suggests that all members of the surgical team should collaborate to find the best alternative based on procedure type. There is no literature "regarding the efficacy of alternative antiseptic products," according to Ms. Wood's response.
Q: Should a long-sleeved jacket be worn when performing skin prep?
Yes, Ms. Wood says. The AORN Guideline for Surgical Attire outlines the reasons why: Long-sleeved jackets can "help "contain skin squames shed from bare arms," and performing skin prep without one on could allow skin cells to drop onto the patient and could increase the risk of SSI.
However, the jacket must fit the perioperative professional well to actually reduce infection risk. "If sleeves are too baggy and hang down, we recommend taping the sleeves around the arm so the full arm can be covered safely," she said.
For answers to two other commonly asked questions on skin prep, see the full article here.