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The Influence of Traffic, Area Location, and Other Factors on Operating Room Microbial Load

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2018

Kevin Taaffe ,
Brandon Lee ,
Yann Ferrand ,
Lawrence Fredendall ,
Dee San ,
Cassandra Salgado ,
Dotan Shvorin ,
Amin Khoshkenar ,
Scott Reeves  and
the Realizing Improved Patient Care through Human-Centered Design in the Operating Room (RIPCHD.OR) Study Group
Kevin Taaffe*
Affiliation:
Department of Industrial Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
Brandon Lee
Affiliation:
Department of Management, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
Yann Ferrand
Affiliation:
Department of Management, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
Lawrence Fredendall
Affiliation:
Department of Management, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
Dee San
Affiliation:
Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
Cassandra Salgado
Affiliation:
Medicine and Public Health, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
Dotan Shvorin
Affiliation:
Department of Industrial Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
Amin Khoshkenar
Affiliation:
Department of Industrial Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
Scott Reeves
Affiliation:
Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
the Realizing Improved Patient Care through Human-Centered Design in the Operating Room (RIPCHD.OR) Study Group
Affiliation:
Center for Health Facilities Design and Testing, A SmartState South Carolina Center of Economic Excellence at Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
*
Address correspondence to Kevin Taaffe, PhD, 269 Freeman Hall, Department of Industrial Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634 (taaffe@clemson.edu).
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To determine how the movement of patients, equipment, materials, staff, and door openings within the operating room (OR) affect microbial loads at various locations within the OR.

DESIGN

Observation and sampling study.

SETTING

Academic health center, public hospital.

METHODS

We first analyzed 27 videotaped procedures to determine the areas in the OR with high and low numbers of people in transit. We then placed air samplers and settle plates in representative locations during 21 procedures in 4 different ORs during 2 different seasons of the year to measure microbial load in colony-forming units (CFU). The temperature and humidity, number of door openings, physical movement, and the number of people in the OR were measured for each procedure. Statistical analysis was conducted using hierarchical regression.

RESULTS

The microbial load was affected by the time of year that the samples were taken. Both microbial load measured by the air samplers and by settle plates in 1 area of the OR was correlated with the physical movement of people in the same area but not with the number of door openings and the number of people in the OR.

CONCLUSIONS

Movement in the OR is correlated with the microbial load. Establishing operational guidelines or developing OR layouts that focus on minimizing movement by incorporating desirable internal storage points and workstations can potentially reduce microbial load, thereby potentially reducing surgical site infection risk.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;39:391–397

Information

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 39 , Issue 4 , April 2018 , pp. 391 - 397
Copyright
© 2018 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved 

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