Surgical procedures and Pink Eye

[TheMursingMurse]

Hello all!

I have an infection control question. We had a patient, scheduled for a colonoscopy, that had a reddened eye. The CRNA suspected conjunctivitis but we could not confirm that. The facility policy is vague on communicable diseases and cancelling procedures. The colonoscopy was performed but was curious on your opinion.

Should the case have been cancelled due to suspected pink eye? If so, what's your reasoning behind cancelling it?

If your facility has a specific policy surrounding things like this, I would love to know it.

Thanks!!

[brownbook]

Nothing specific to give you re: infection control policies...but common sense says

The patient is "only" being screened for colon cancer.

They took the "prep" and all the after effects that entails. Took two days off work, arranged a ride home, etc.

This far out weighs the simple ways to ask the patient to not rub their eye, offer good hand washing to the patient, let staff know to not touch the patients eye, (ha ha???), use standard precautions, and even if someone catches pink eye it is not that big a deal!