A study comparing the aerobic bacterial bioburden associated with surgical scrub attire shows significantly greater contamination among home-laundered attire than scrubs laundered by the healthcare facility, scrubs sent out by the facility to a third-party company for laundering, or single use/disposable scrubs. In fact, home-laundered scrubs cleaned and ready to wear had as much bacteria present as facility-laundered, third-party laundered and single-use scrubs which had been worn for one day.
Conducted in the spring of 2009, the study was performed by Bioscience Laboratories, Inc., of Bozeman, Mont., and sponsored by Molnlycke Health Care U.S., LLC. A total of 80 surgical scrub garments, tops and bottoms, prior to use and after use in the operating room for a day, were collected from multiple healthcare facilities across the U.S. They comprised 10 sets of scrubs in each category: single-use; home-laundered; facility-laundered; and third-party laundered.
The study showed no statistically significant difference in bacterial contamination among facility-laundered, third-party laundered or single-use scrubs prior to use (“clean”), but revealed that the bioburden found on home-laundered scrubs prior to use (“clean”) was significantly greater than on any of the other garments (facility-laundered, third-party laundered or single-use, non-woven) that had been worn for a day in the operating room.
“According to these results, a healthcare professional beginning his or her shift in home-laundered scrubs would essentially be wearing scrubs with the same quantity of bacteria as the scrubs of a healthcare professional finishing a shift in worn scrubs,” says Heather Beitz, BA, MEd, director of clinical research for Mölnlycke Health Care.
“This study indicates that home-laundering is not as effective as facility- or third-party laundering in decontaminating surgical scrub attire,” Beitz explains. “Another option, of course, is single-use surgical attire. In addition to eliminating cross-contamination concerns as indicated in this study, single-use scrubs are durable and designed for daily use in a variety of surgical procedures and acute care needs and can reduce replacement costs,” she added.
BARRIER® surgical scrub suits and jackets, manufactured by Mölnlycke Health Care, are non-woven single-use products that provide comfort with the soft feel of cotton. They are available in extended size ranges (S – 4XL), assuring a variety of fits. Departments benefitting from the use of BARRIER non-woven scrubs and jackets are trauma, isolation, ER, NICU (for parents), L&D (for fathers), cath and GI labs, oncology, and radiology/interventional radiology.
Weekly Rounds: Four Years of COVID-19, AORN 2024 Conference Coverage, and More
March 18th 2024Here are 5 highlights from Infection Control Today®'s (ICT®’s) wide-ranging coverage of the infection prevention and control world. Everything from interviews with known opinion leaders to the news that infection preventionists and other health care professionals can use on their jobs.
Empowering Safety: A Massachusetts General Hospital Team Is Pushing for Smoke-Free ORs
March 13th 2024At the AORN’s International Surgical Conference & Expo 2024, a team from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) showcased their transformative project, "Becoming Smoke-Free in the OR." This initiative underscored the critical need for smoke evacuation in surgical settings.
Hand Hygiene Practices in the Operating Room: A Collaborative Endeavor
March 13th 2024As explained on a poster at AORN 2024, perioperative nurses and infection preventionists unite in a proactive campaign to elevate hand hygiene within the operating room, resulting in improved adherence, decreased infections, and fortified patient outcomes.
COVID-19 Harmonization: Balancing Risks and Benefits of CDC's Latest Move
March 11th 2024The CDC's recent decision to align recommendations for respiratory viruses, particularly COVID-19, has garnered support from the public and infectious disease societies. However, as the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) lends its backing to the CDC's harmonization efforts, concerns persist regarding the implications of this shift, especially considering the Omicron variant's unique characteristics and the ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19's multi-system impacts.
Elevating Surgical Safety: The Role of a Surgical Infection Preventionist
March 10th 2024Amidst the complex dance of scalpels and sterile fields in surgical theaters, a silent guardian stands vigilant—the surgical infection preventionist. Poster author, Charles Vickery, Jr, BSN, RN, CIC, CRST, of AdventHealth Central Florida, unveils the indispensable role of this health care sentinel at AORN's International Surgical Conference & Expo 2024.
“A Marathon and a Sprint”: Passing Surgical Smoke Legislation
March 9th 2024At the AORN’s International Surgical Conference & Expo 2024, a presentation on surgical smoke drew applause and strong emotion about the continuing fight for legislation on removing surgical smoke from operating rooms. Infection Control Today was there to tell you what happened.