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Executive Briefing: Reducing Infections in the OR
Sponsored by:
I
mproving sterile supply management is one way hospitals
can reduce the risk of infections and infection-related read-
missions for their patients.
Hospitals and other healthcare facilities may have hundreds or
thousands of different kinds of sterile products and implants in
inventory — such as total joint implants, laparoscopic and open
stapler devices, intraocular lens implants, disposable endome-
chanical devices, dressing, suture, needles, syringes, biological
products and multiple other disposables — at any given time. En-
suring the integrity of these products is vital to preventing infec-
tions in patients and reducing readmissions.
Barbara McClenathan, RN, BSN, MBA, CNOR, senior nurse spe-
cialist for perioperative consulting firm Surgical Directions, high-
lighted key concerns of ensuring product sterility: bioburden, prod-
uct integrity, expiration, dust, debris, temperature and humidity.
"Bioburden is living, microbial load that may be a result of cross
contamination or aerosolization and that may reside on the exte-
rior of sterile disposable products," said Ms. McClenathan. "Man-
aging sterile supplies to prevent bioburden contamination is ex-
tremely important to preventing infections."
How Improving Sterile Supply
Management in the OR can Reduce
Infections and Readmissions
By Shannon Barnet
"Compliance failures in any one
of these three areas significantly
increase the risk of infection and
readmission for patients."
— Barbara McClenathan, senior nurse specialist
for Surgical Directions
perioperative & anesthesia
assessment · interim management
312.870.5600 www.SurgicalDirections.com
Services – Nursing Managers and Directors
Services – Nurse Educators
Services – Business Managers
Processing Department – Managers and Directors
provide you with leadership that will insure stability
time of transition.
There are three areas of supply management that hospitals and other healthcare
facilities must focus on to ensure products remain sterile and free of contaminates,
according to Ms. McClenathan. They include:
1
2
3
Manufacturer defined product sterility.
Product storage.
Cross-contamination in the OR.
