Premium
Microbial Flora on Operating Room Telephones
Author(s) -
Nelson Jason,
Bivens Ava,
Shinn Antoinette,
Wanzer Linda,
Kasper Christine
Publication year - 2006
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/s0001-2092(06)60190-7
Subject(s) - flora (microbiology) , coagulase , medicine , skin flora , surgical procedures , bacteria , staphylococcus , surgery , biology , genetics , staphylococcus aureus
• APPROXIMATELY 500,000 surgical site infections (SSIs) occur each year in the United States. The purpose of this study was to determine if the bacteria most frequently involved in SSIs could be found on telephones in the OR. • TWENTY‐SIX CULTURES were taken from telephones in 14 ORs and two substerile rooms at a large teaching medical center. • USING STANDARD LABORATORY procedures, the researchers identified coagulase‐negative staphylococci in the cultures. The study found that telephones in the OR can serve as reservoirs for SSI‐causing bacteria. AORN J 83 (March 2006) 607–626.