Survey: Hospitals must redouble efforts to clean skin prior to surgery

Patient Safety Monitor Alert

• Email|
• Print|
• Subscribe|
• View Archives

April 25, 2007

Many hospitals do not have protocols in place to properly clean surgical patients' skin before a procedure, according to a survey completed by Sage Products, which produces disposable healthcare products.

In a survey of Association of Perioperative Registered Nurse (AORN) conferencegoers, 37% of respondents said their hospitals did not have such a protocol in place. The protocol should show patients how to properly clean their skin the night before a surgical procedure. Improperly cleaned skin could harbor miscroscopic organisms, which could lead to infection.