Surgical attire

[Rnrand]

I work in an ASC but have 15 years main OR experience. One of our assistant directors went to a course and is now pushing for all staff to wear long sleeve jackets and for males with facial hair to wear hoods or beard nets not only in the operating rooms but in the hallway as well. I'd like to hear from other RNs if they have these same guidelines.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Yes, and it is spelled out in the AORN Guidelines that facial hair should be covered and arms should be covered as well once entering the restricted area.

[Rnrand]

Thank you for your response Rose_Queen. I did review the AORN guidelines and saw that. However, I'm not talking about restricted areas. I'm referring to the hallways outside of the ORs and substerile room. Essentially the hallway connecting the pre/post op area to the ORs.

[offlabel]

I bet they'd let Grizzly Adams, beard and all, into the OR as a patient without all of that AORN BS. And that's without a mask. Why is that? Just for fun, watch a video of a surgical procedure in the UK, Australia or NZ. What do you notice?

I'd ask for a peer reviewed study showing that all of that blather reduces infection. But I wouldn't hold my breath...

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Thank you for your response Rose_Queen. I did review the AORN guidelines and saw that. However, I'm not talking about restricted areas. I'm referring to the hallways outside of the ORs and substerile room. Essentially the hallway connecting the pre/post op area to the ORs.

My understanding is that it includes any areas across the line- including hallways. Besides, what would you do- just carry everything with you back the hallway and put it on outside the OR door?

[Rnrand]

Maybe that's the difficulty in all this. There isn't a "line" separating pre/post op with the OR. The OR doors are the only delineation. I can get behind wearing a jacket for opening rooms and while circulating a case. Although it gets unbelievably warm wearing one while running around. What this Asst. Director is suggesting is that all staff no matter their job description wear jackets and males with facial hair wear beard covers, masks, or hoods to completely cover it in ALL areas. This includes ORs, hallways, central, and sterile processing.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Maybe that's the difficulty in all this. There isn't a "line" separating pre/post op with the OR. The OR doors are the only delineation. I can get behind wearing a jacket for opening rooms and while circulating a case. Although it gets unbelievably warm wearing one while running around. What this Asst. Director is suggesting is that all staff no matter their job description wear jackets and males with facial hair wear beard covers, masks, or hoods to completely cover it in ALL areas. This includes ORs, hallways, central, and sterile processing.

And that is what the guideline supports. It's not that horrible. Is this really the mountain on which you are willing to die?

[Rnrand]

Well it's too early to draw a line in the sand for me but after looking at a few studies and articles, I can only find data supporting the the complete covering of facial hair and exposed arms IN the operating room, not outside it.