Preventing Infections in Burns Patients

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All patients are at risk from infection in hospitals and healthcare settings. But the risks are particularly high for burns patients.

High Infection Risk in Burns Patients

This is for three reasons:

  • Burns patients invariably spend an extended period in the hospital. The longer any patient’s hospitalisation, the more frequently they’ll face common sources of nosocomial infections.
  • Burns patients frequently undergo invasive procedures as part of their treatment.
  • The nature of a burns patient’s injuries involves the loss of skin barrier protection against micro-organisms, and treatment often involves induced immunosuppression, which will only make them more vulnerable to infection.

So burns patients present a particular challenge for hospital staff.

In this post, we’ll explore some essential techniques and products that can help prevent infections in burns patients.

Standard Infection Control Precautions for Burns Patients

The Standard Infection Control Precautions (SICPs) are a set of practices that every member of staff in every healthcare setting must follow. They apply to every patient, every setting, every time.

For more information, you can read our full guide to SICPs. But a crucial consideration for burns patients is the first precaution: Patient placement, and assessing a patient’s infection risk.

Dedicated Burns Unit

The patient placement precaution involves placing patients in accordance with their clinical or care needs, while isolating patients who either have a high risk of infection, or who show a high risk of cross-infection.

It’s for this reason that hospitals should have dedicated burns units, where staff can take extra precautions to reduce the patients’ potential exposure to nosocomial infections.

Regular Hand Washing For Burns Patients

Hospital staff should wash their hands at five key points:

  • Before you touch a patient.
  • After you touch a patient.
  • After you touch a patient’s immediate surroundings.
  • Before you undertake any clean or antiseptic procedures.
  • After any body fluid exposure risk.

There’s also a specific technique you should follow to wash your hands. For most healthcare settings, it should take at least 20 seconds. But in a burns unit, where the risks of infection are higher than elsewhere, staff may have to commit to an even more thorough hand hygiene regime.

PPE For Treating Burns Patients

Burns patients often lose their skin barrier protection against micro-organisms. So when treating burns patients, the correct PPE is vital. It can create an effective barrier against many common sources of infection, which can help ensure that the healthcare worker does not pass on an infection to the burns patient.

You’ll find a number of guides to effective PPE use on our site:

Infection Control for Burns Patients with Sterile Mats

Burns patients often have to undergo frequent invasive procedures as part of their treatment. Alongside numerous other infection control measures, absorbent mats can help you reduce the risks of infection while also cutting down on your turnaround time between procedures.

Our DryMax Sterile Mats can absorb up to 6 litres of water or 2.4 litres of saline. Place the DryMax Sterile Mat next to the patient and it’ll effectively help to capture all the various drips and spills created by the procedure.

Not only will this keep both the patient and the surgeon drier and more comfortable during the procedure, it will also contribute to infection prevention and control while reducing the risk of slips.

Then, after the procedure, you can simply dispose of the mat, allowing for more faster and effective cleaning between procedures. So as well as making your procedure cleaner and safer, it can also help make your unit as a whole run smoother and more efficiently.

It’s completely latex-free and you can use it flat, folded or rolled, depending on your needs.

Head here to learn more about how our DryMax Sterile Mats can help with infection control for burns patients.

Want to discuss your theatre’s fluid collection requirements? Call 0333 015 4345 or email info@cairntechnology.com.

 

Health & Safety in Operating Theatres – Hazards & Precautions

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Just like any other working environment, working in an operating theatre comes with numerous occupational hazards. However, in an operating theatre, these hazards can mean life or death. Even the smallest accident could seriously jeopardise the patient’s safety.

The question of health & safety in operating theatres is a deep one. Organisations such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) regularly produce extensive documents advising on theatre safety on both an operational and a managerial level.

So in this post, we’ll provide an essential overview of the sort of hazards theatre staff may face, and the sort of precautions that could help them manage risk. Please note that in this post we’ll focus on staff safety rather than patient safety.

Also be sure to check out our introduction to improving quality and efficiency in operating theatres.

Common Hazards in Operating Theatres

Speaking as broadly as possible, we might categorise the common hazards staff face in operating theatres as follows:

  • Accidents, including slips, trips, and falls.
  • Exposure to hazardous substances.
  • Contamination and infection.

Let’s look at each of these hazards in turn, along with some of the precautions that could help prevent accidents.

Accidents in Operating Theatres – Slips, Trips and Falls

Just like in any other workplace, operating theatre staff can slip on spilled fluids, or trip and fall on a loose wire or a misplaced bit of equipment.

One of the many recommendations made in the NHS Productive Operating Theatre strategy concerns the layout of operating theatres. They advise removing any non-essential items from the area, and assigning each object a set place in the room.

These recommendations are primarily in place to ensure operational efficiency. If everyone knows where everything is, then operations can proceed with fewer interruptions.

But a well-ordered operating theatre is also a much safer operating theatre. If there are no non-essential items in the area, and if everything is in its right place, then in theory there’ll be no obstacles for theatre staff to trip over as they carry out their work.

The Importance of Good Theatre Hygiene

The guidelines also recommend regularly cleaning and maintaining the operating theatre environment. This is mainly for patient safety, to reduce the risks of infection. But it can also contribute to staff safety. Promptly cleaning any fluids spilled on the floor makes it less likely that anyone will slip and fall.

The right equipment can make a huge difference here. For example, non-drip absorbent operating theatre floor mats can soak up any spilled fluids before they become a health and safety hazard. Then, after the operation, they can simply be picked up, discarded and replaced. This will reduce the turnaround time between operations while also removing the need to mop, so staff won’t have to worry about wet and slippery surfaces.

Exposure to Hazardous Substances

Operating theatre procedures make use of a number of substances which can pose a health hazard  if staff are exposed to them for long periods.

A key culprit in the operating theatre is Isoflurane, which anaesthetists use to maintain a state of general anaesthesia. If inhaled in its vapor form, Isoflurane can cause headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. But long-term exposure can lead to chronic health conditions, including renal, hepatic, and reproductive disorders.

Like all potentially hazardous substances, so long as it’s properly stored, and so long as your equipment is properly maintained, then Isoflurane should pose no problems. But as the substance is so volatile, even the smallest spillage or leak poses a health hazard.

Prevention, and the Cure

Another key recommendation in the NHS Productive Operating Theatre strategy is to stay on top of your equipment maintenance. Again, this is primarily to ensure patient safety, as you cannot depend on faulty equipment to do the job you need it to do. But it’s also to ensure staff safety, to ensure that, for example, any leaks are fixed before they pose a problem.

Wearing adequate PPE when handling or cleaning substances will also help you manage this hazard. But for total peace of mind, get a workplace exposure monitoring report for any area of your hospital where staff are exposed to hazardous substances.

A comprehensive report will include clear and actionable recommendations, so you’ll know exactly where the risks lie and exactly what to do to protect your staff.

Contamination and Infection in Operating Theatres

Infection control measures in operating theatres put the patient’s needs first, as surgical site infections (SSIs) account for around 20% of all hospital-acquired infections.

But of course, any measure that protects patients from infection will also protect staff from infection.

Operating theatres must be aseptic, highly-sterile, and restricted environments. Achieving this requires good air ventilation, strategic zoning, and numerous infection control precautions.

You can read our full guide to cleaning for infection prevention and control in operating theatres here.

PPE also plays a huge part in protecting both staff and patient from infection. It’s not just a question of selecting the right PPE for the task at hand. Just as important is applying and removing the PPE in the correct order.

Health and Safety in Operating Theatres – Essential Support, Solutions, and Guidance

We offer many services and solutions that can help you stay on top of health and safety in the operating theatre.

Our services include:

  • Air purification
  • Face-fit testing for PPE effectiveness
  • Workplace exposure monitoring services
  • Washroom hygiene solutions
  • Fluid management solutions, including absorbent floor mats
  • Cleaning equipment, disposal containers, and sanitising chemicals

Our experts are always on-hand to discuss your needs. So if you’d like some guidance health and safety in operating theatres, get in touch to talk to an expert today.

 

Current Issues in Operating Theatres

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Operating theatre teams around the world face fresh challenges every year. In this post we’ll explore some of the current issues in operating theatres, and examine the ways in which operating theatre teams are rising to meet these challenges.

Infection Control and Ventilation

The pandemic caused severe disruption to all surgical specialties. UK operating theatres cancelled elective surgical procedures while avoiding aerosol generating procedures (AGPs).

A recent paper in the Royal College of Surgeons annals reported on how operating theatres across the world had used negative pressure environments to reduce the spread of infectious airborne particles during AGPs. This paper went on to present an overview on how operating theatre ventilation systems can work to reduce both virus transmissions and surgical site infections (SSIs).

The paper concludes that, while there is not yet enough evidence to recommend that all operating theatres convert to negative pressure environments, all health settings should have negative pressure rooms available for high-risk patients.

Head here to read the latest research on operating theatre ventilation in the Royal College of Surgeons annals.

You can also read our guide to cleaning for infection prevention and control in operating theatres.

Improving Operating Room Efficiency

One of the current issues in operating theatres is how to improve efficiency while reducing turnaround time between procedures. A recent paper in Folio 3 Digital Health explored the possibilities of using Internet of Things (IOT) devices to improve operating room efficiency best practices.

“Smart” medical equipment allows for predictive maintenance, so teams can address any potential issues long before they become problems. IOT devices can also help reduce medical errors during surgical processes through allowing for faster and more powerful data sharing among the operating team.

Head here to read the full paper on the possibilities of IOT devices in operating theatres.

In June 2020, the NHS England Improvement Hub published a resource entitled The Productive Operating Theatre. This is a series of modules designed to help theatre teams work together to improve the quality of the patient experience and the safety of surgical services. The resource outlines ways in which theatres can make best use of available time and expertise.

Head here to access the full suite of Productive Operating Theatre resources.

Consumables and Equipment Management

A key focus area for improving operating theatre efficiency is good management of consumables and equipment. Investing in connected IOT devices might be a good long-term goal. But lower-tech solutions can help operating theatre teams make huge improvements to efficiency in the short-term too.

For example, we stock a range of absorbent floor mats designed to capture fluids during surgical procedures. They can help you to optimise your fluid management, which won’t just improve health and safety – it’ll also optimise your turnaround times between procedures.

Communication and Working Together to Overcome Challenges

The Association for Perioperative Practice recently ran an online survey asking theatre nurses to share their experiences of work, and the challenges they face in the theatre environment.

The charity aimed to highlight issues such as bullying, pressure, and support from senior members. As in an operating theatre environment, these issues don’t just result in unpleasant working environments. The working environment can affect patient safety and outcomes.

The WHO Surgical Safety Checklist, first published in 2010, contains numerous measures to help operating theatres foster a supportive environment based on mutual respect. For example, it outlines that all surgical procedures should start with a briefing, during which senior staff members should actively welcome queries and concerns from junior staff members.

Head here to read our full guide to the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist.

Improving the Running of Your Operating Theatre

At Cairn Technology, we’re here to help you run your operating theatre more efficiently and effectively. We have a number of products and services to help you do that, and a team of experts on hand to give you the advice you need.

For example, our absorbent floor mats can help you to optimise your fluid management to help your health and safety and turnaround times, as well as other surgical supplies for infection control and high-level performance.

Do You Have a Question About Current Issues in Operating Theatres?

Whether you want a consultation on effective infection control, or some advice on improving operational effectiveness in the theatre, our experts are here to help.

Get in touch to talk to one of our experts today.

 

 

Cleaning for Infection Prevention and Control in Operating Theatres

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Studies show that surgical site infections (SSIs) constitute around 20% of total hospital-acquired infections. So infection prevention and control in operating theatres is essential for ensuring the safety of the patient.

Sources of Infection in Operating Theatres

Most SSIs occur during the operative procedure, when the patient’s wounds are still open. Sources of infection can include:

  • Members of the operating team, and the clothing they wear.
  • The operating theatre environment, including the air quality.
  • The equipment used during the procedure.

Stringent protocols can make a huge difference in minimising the onset of SSIs. Every medical setting should have a robust set of infection control protocols in place, and every member of the operating staff should be familiar with these protocols.

Please note that this post should not be used in place of infection control protocols. Rather, it should be used as a general guide to the sort of items that might factor into your protocols.

Operating Room Environment Measures to Control Infection

The operating theatre should be aseptic, highly-sterile, and restricted. The following measures can help prevent and control infection in operating theatres:

  • Proper ventilation with 20 air changes each hour.
  • Separate doors for entry and exit. Sliding doors can minimise air currents as people enter and leave the room.
  • The operating theatre complex should be properly zoned based on the levels of cleanliness, the presence of microorganisms, and the types of procedures carried out. There should be separate areas for preparation and disposal, for scrubbing and gowning, and for the storage, sterilisation, assembly and washing of materials and equipment.

Staff Clothing

All surgical staff must carry out a surgical hand wash before the procedure. This involves applying an antimicrobial agent in a circular motion, from the tips of the fingers up to about 5cm above the elbow. This rubbing should take place for at least three minutes.

When it comes to operating theatre clothing, use “barrier techniques” where the chances of infection spread are highest. Ideally, all operating theatre clothing should be disposable, and where possible, made from soft, nonporous materials.

  • Head covers – All facial and head hair should be properly tied and covered. Long hair should be tied into a bun.
  • Masks – Masks work to prevent the transmission of infectious agents from the operating team to the patient’s open wounds. They also protect the operating team from splashes and sprays from the patient. The masks should be disposable, made from synthetic materials, and properly fitted.
  • Scrubs– Scrubs should be comfortable and, if not disposable, they should be easy to wash and clean. They should have as simple a design as possible, to reduce the areas where contaminants could develop.
  • Gowns – When it comes to gowns, there should be a set procedure for applying them to reduce the risk of contamination. It’s a two-person job, in which both people should avoid touching the outside of the gown.
  • Gloves – Again, there should be a set procedure for applying gloves. It begins with a thorough handwash in aseptic conditions, after which you should avoid, as much as is possible, touching the outside of the glove with your bear hands.

Operating theatres must also use drapes to contain the operating environment, and to cover all parts of the patient apart from the operative site.

Surgical Equipment Cleaning for Infection Prevention

All operating theatre machinery must be surveyed at least once a week. Any fault should be reported to the infection control team, who can then take appropriate measures to maintain the infection control protocols.

Any reusable surgical instruments must be thoroughly cleaned before use. The reprocessing procedure might involve:

  • Cleaning – To remove any organic matter on the surface of the equipment. Some equipment may require soaking prior to cleaning.
  • Disinfection and sterilisation – Disinfection involves using appropriate chemical disinfection agents to reduce the number of microorganisms present. Sterilisation involves removing all microbes from the surface of the equipment, including spores, using steam, dry heat, ethylene oxide, or other chemicals. It’s usually necessary to wrap or package equipment before sterilising it.
  • Storage – Once processed, all surgical equipment must be properly stored in a sterile environment, and only handled again once it’s ready to be used on patients.

The specific cleaning procedure will vary depending on the type of equipment. For example, some surgical equipment can be cleaned and dried in an automated washer. Some instruments may require cleaning in an ultrasonic unit, after which they’ll need to go through a separate rinsing and drying procedure before they’re sterilised ready for storage.

Floor and Surface Cleaning in Operating Theatres

From floor to ceiling, all surfaces should be washable and with a minimum of joints. This will help reduce the accumulation of dust and other particulates.

Absorbent mats can also make a huge difference. They can capture fluids during procedures, making it much easier to dispose of them afterwards. This can vastly improve your turnaround times with no need to compromise on hygiene standards. They also dry quickly, which can help prevent slips and falls.

Essential Support for Infection Prevention and Control in Operating Theatres

We offer many services and solutions that can help you stay on top of infection prevention and control in operating theatres.

Our services include:

  • Air purification
  • Face-fit testing
  • Washroom hygiene solutions
  • Fluid management solutions, including floor mats
  • Comprehensive infection control solutions, including cleaning equipment, disposal containers, and sanitising chemicals

Our experts are always on-hand to discuss your needs. So if you’d like some guidance on infection prevention and control in operating theatres, get in touch to talk to an expert today.

 

Absorbent mats for urology theatres and wards

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Whether you want to absorb blood, urine or irrigation fluid during urology procedures, using a high-performance absorbent mat can avoid a lot of mess and mopping up.

Of course, there are suction devices that can remove liquids from floors, but these can often be noisy and pose a trip hazard, neither of which can be said of absorbent mats.

What’s more, some absorbent floor mats can be cut to size, to suit your requirements exactly. In addition, sterile mats can be placed under or next to the patient.

In this article, we look at three kinds of absorbent mat that can help provide a drier and safer environment for both patients and staff:

1. The T-Mat for urology theatres and wards

Designed for urology theatre floors to collect fluids during wet procedures, the T-Mat collects and binds liquids hygienically, wicking liquid away from the surface and turning absorbed fluid into a gel in only two to three minutes.

Able to absorb up to 8.5 litres of water or 3.5 litres of saline, the T-Mat is the most absorbent mat on the UK market. Measuring 75 x 36cm, it is a convenient size to be positioned on the floor where you expect any fluids to pool.

By locking in fluids, the T-Mat effectively reduces the risk of hazards such as slips and trips, whilst also reducing the time needed to clean up post-procedure.

In fact, its non-drip design means that you can easily dispose of the T-Mat in clinical waste with minimal risk of cross-contamination.

2. The DryMax XL for urology theatre scrub rooms

If you are looking for an absorbent mat that you can stand on whilst scrubbing up or performing a procedure, then the DryMax XL is the ideal product.

Designed with an anti-skid barrier layer, the mat stays in place while you walk on it. You can even cut the DryMax XL to fit an area, whether you do that with the individual mats sized 100 x 75cm or with the DryMax XL on a 100cm x 5m roll.

The DryMax XL is also highly absorbent. Capable of absorbing up to 2 litres of fluid, the it locks in liquids, preventing slips on wet floors. What’s more, its non-drip design allows for quick and easy disposal, with minimum risk of cross-infection.

3. The DryMax Sterile for urology departments

The DryMax Sterile is the ideal choice, if you are looking for an absorbent mat that you can place beneath or next to the patient during wet procedures.

Measuring 72 x 37cm, this disposable mat can absorb up to 6 litres of fluids and 2.4 litres of saline.

What’s more, having a non-drip design, it can be easily disposed of as clinical waste, ensuring a faster turnaround and reduced clean-up time.

Trialling absorbent mats for your urology theatres

If you would like more information on the above mats or to discuss your fluid management requirements call 0845 226 0185 or email info@cairntechnology.com

Hospitals are also welcome to trial a couple of mats for free to see how staff find using them in their own urology theatres and wards, so if this is of interest, please feel free to contact us.

Choosing absorbent mats for your labour ward

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From amniotic fluid release to mild blood loss and intrapartum haemorrhage, there can be a host of reasons for having a high performance absorbent mat to hand in labour wards or obstetrics theatres.

Of course, there are suction devices out there that can remove fluids from floors, but these can often be noisy and pose a trip hazard, so absorbent floor mats can provide a better solution.

In this article, we look at three types of absorbent mat that can contribute towards a drier and safer environment for patients and staff:

1. The T-Mat for obstetrics theatres

Designed for obstetrics theatre floors to collect fluids during caesareans, the T-Mat collects and binds liquids hygienically, with excess fluid turning into a gel within only 2 to 3 minutes.

As the most absorbent mat on the UK market, the T-Mat can absorb up to 8.5 litres of water or 3.5 litres of saline. Measuring 75 x 36cm, the T-Mat should be positioned on the floor where you expect fluids to pool.

Its ability to lock in fluids reduces the risk of slips and trips, as well as the time needed to clean up post-procedure.

In addition, its non-drip design, which wicks liquid away from the surface, means that it can be easily disposed of in clinical waste with minimal risk of cross-contamination.

2. The DryMax XL for obstetrics scrub rooms

If you are looking for an absorbent mat that you can stand on whilst scrubbing up or performing an operation, then the DryMax XL is the perfect choice.

Designed with an anti-skid barrier layer, the mat stays in place and prevents absorbed fluids from passing through, thereby preventing slips on wet floors.

Measuring 100 x 75cm, the DryMax XL can be conveniently cut to fit an area. Capable of absorbing up to 2 litres of fluid, its non-drip design allows for quick and easy disposal, with minimum risk of cross-infection.

3. The DryMax Sterile for labour rooms and obstetrics theatres

If you are looking for an absorbent mat that can be placed under or close to the patient during labour or a caesarean, then the DryMax Sterile is the ideal solution.

Measuring 72 x 37cm, this disposable mat can absorb up to 6 litres of fluids such as urine, blood and amniotic fluid and 2.4 litres of saline.

Being non-drip, it can be easily disposed of as clinical waste, enabling a quicker turnaround and reducing the time needed for clean-up.

Trialling absorbent mats for your labour ward

If you would like more information on the above mats or to discuss your fluid collection requirements call 0845 226 0185 or email info@cairntechnology.com

Hospitals are also welcome to trial a couple of mats for free to see how staff find using them in their own labour rooms and obstetrics theatres, so if this is of interest, please feel free to contact us.