Dr. Robert Karpinos, Chief of Anesthesiology at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, NY, and a member of the Somnia Anesthesia family, collaborated with the Association of periOperative Nurses (AORN) in the latest edition of the “Periop Insider”, AORNs weekly publication. The article, “Preventing CLABSIs: 6 Critical Steps” thoroughly covered the appropriate measures that perioperative nurses and anesthesia teams can take to prevent central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs).
Readers will take away 6 critical measures that, according to Dr. Karpinos, will greatly minimize the risk of patients falling victim to infection if strictly followed. The exact measures included:
- “Follow the CDC guidelines”
- “Encourage use of the scrub-the-hub technique”
- “Ensure guidelines are followed inside and outside of the OR”
- “Treat central catheter insertions as separate procedure”
- “Be involved in the procedure”
- “Don’t hesitate to speak up”
With 40,000 CLABSIs annually, we at Somnia believe that it is important that every anesthesiology department pay attention to these safety measures. Patient safety is of primary importance at every stage of the perioperative process and anesthesia plays a crucial role in ensuring the patient returns home satisfied and devoid of further complications.
Finally, Dr. Karpinos speaks out to perioperative nurses reminding them of the critical role they undertake, not only outside, but inside the OR as well. In the article, he is quoted as saying: “With every procedure that’s performed in the OR,… the nursing team is a vital part of what we [MDs] do. We encourage everyone on the operative team to play an active role and participate in each stage of the procedure.”
At Somnia Anesthesia, the safety of our patients is paramount to anything else. We provide anesthesia services and oversee local teams nationwide. Each and every staff member is held against the highest standards of safety and experience. With chiefs like Dr. Karpinos, we make sure each one of our teams strictly follows the 6 measures of safety listed in this article, at a minimum.
We encourage that every anesthesia professional take the time to read this short article and do their best to ensure all 6 steps herein are being appropriately implemented by their department. You can find the article here. If you have any questions about the article, Somnia Anesthesia and our services, or for Dr. Robert Karpinos, please contact us here or email us directly.