In May 2024, the new perioperative leader team partnered with quality and created an interprofessional team to review surgical site infections and opportunities for improvement. Through great teamwork and collaboration, a multiprong approach was established and a comprehensive bundle was established.
Clinical nurses from the SSI committee reviewed literature, current AORN Guidelines and revised their site-specific skin preps in the operating room with training and return demonstrations. Perioperative nurses reviewed evidence-based practices for preoperative hair clipping and CHG wipe application and applied those skills to practice.
The interdisciplinary team also developed an OR cleaning grid, educated on instrument point of use care and transportation policy, implemented ATP testing after cleaning operating rooms. Perioperative medicine, the total joint coordinator and preoperative nurses successfully implemented mupirocin decolonization protocol for targeted surgical cases. In addition, the committee partnered with Home Health, HBS, ED, and adult family medicine providers to refer surgical site concerns back to the surgeon for management.
Together, these practice changes have contributed to an overall reduction in surgical site infections over the past five months. Baseline data is 2.02 offs ratio and post implementation, the rate has reduced to 1.49 odds ratio.