Operating Room

 

The Infection Control Today® operating room page provides news articles and videos on the intersection between surgery and infection prevention. The operating room is a prime breeding ground for harmful pathogens to spread, resulting in surgical site infections. The role of the infection preventionist, together with the perioperative nursing staff, is to craft policies and processes to cut down on these infections and ensure patient safety during surgical procedures.

Preventing Health Care-Associated Infections: A CDC and FDA Workshop

September 06, 2022

The workshop included members of the public, academics, and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry to discuss development of new medicines for preventing HAIs and antibiotic resistance.

Ultrasound Transducer Disinfection: Better Guidelines/Recommendations Needed

September 01, 2022

With the CDC, FDA, and Joint Commission all using different guidelines and recommendations for the types of disinfection acceptable for various ultrasound transducers, clinicians should follow manufacturers’ instructions, but a more unified answer is needed.

Infection Control Today's® Product Locator for September 2022

August 29, 2022

Infection Control Today's® Product Locator is a monthly column highlighting some of the latest advanced technology in the infection prevention field.

Weekly Rounds: CDC Changes, Ultrasound Contamination Concerns, and More

August 14, 2022

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending August 12.

Contamination of Point-of-Care Ultrasound Transducers Alarms Key Clinician

August 11, 2022

Using ultrasound transducers is often necessary in the emergency department, but too often the proper procedures to protect against health care associated infections are not followed, and clinicians are worried.

Should the CDC Change its Guidance on Ultrasound Transducer Disinfection?

July 27, 2022

This is the third in a series of articles based on ICT®'s exclusive interview with Oliver D. Kripfgans, PhD, FAIUM, about ultrasound transducer disinfection, and the consequences of using the incorrect type.

Surgical Urology Is an Untapped Area for Infection Preventionists

June 29, 2022

Despite the initial reluctance for a urology team to work with infection preventionists, the collaboration is beneficial for both specialties.

Device Reprocessing Policies Must Be a Living Document

June 28, 2022

If the policies are not consistently updated, they are “just a piece of paper shoved in a logbook that is not going to effectively improve reprocessing…of ultrasound probes,” said Lisa Waldowski, DNP, RN, CIC.

Seeing Eye to Eye: Reprocessing of Eye Devices

June 27, 2022

Eye devices often are not cleaned nor sterilized as they should be according to manufacturer’s instructions for use, which leads to poorer patient outcomes.

Innovative Gowns Fill Wishlist of Sustainability, Style, Design

June 16, 2022

Collaboration of a team from Inova Health with La Forma Medical developed an isolation gown that was cooler, better fitting, and more environmentally-friendly than disposables.