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Reducing Surgical Site Infections by Bundling Multiple Risk Reduction Strategies and Active Surveillance
Author(s) -
Lipke Virginia Leigh,
Hyott Anthony S.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
aorn journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.222
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1878-0369
pISSN - 0001-2092
DOI - 10.1016/j.aorn.2010.01.016
Subject(s) - medicine , mupirocin , chlorhexidine gluconate , surgical site infection , chlorhexidine , surgery , staphylococcus aureus , methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus , intensive care medicine , emergency medicine , dentistry , biology , bacteria , genetics
Postoperative surgical site infections (SSIs) are serious health care‐associated infections that contribute to higher rates of mortality. Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an increasingly common cause of SSIs. A quality improvement intervention was developed to identify surgical patients with nasal colonization of MRSA, treat them with mupirocin, and introduce a new preoperative skin antisepsis protocol using 2% chlorhexidine gluconate cloths. The total number of SSIs was reduced by 63%, and MRSA SSIs decreased by 78%. Preoperative MRSA screening and treatment and the preoperative skin antisepsis protocol were smoothly integrated into the facility workflow and well accepted by patients. This intervention saved two community hospitals an estimated $240,000.