Pediatric infection preventionists who are members of the Infection Prevention Directors Forum at Children’s Hospital Association developed the assessment tool with input from anesthesiologists in 2012. The tool includes recommendations from the American Society of Anesthesiologists and other professional, regulatory and accrediting organizations, according to the report.
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The assessment was originally designed for anesthesia infection prevention practices in surgical settings, but is also relevant in other areas anesthesia is provided, the authors wrote. The tool addresses the following topics:
• Policies and procedures
• Hand hygiene/glove use
• Personal protective equipment/attire
• Environment (clean vs. dirty)
• Workflow
• Safe injection practices and medications
• Intravenous supplies and intravenous therapy
• Neuraxial procedures
• Respiratory care procedures/equipment
• Disinfection
• Exposure management
The authors encourage healthcare facilities to review and implement the assessment tool to identify areas for improvement in providing safe anesthesia care.
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