Pursuing cleanliness in a field surgical environment

Perioperative military nurses often are faced with the challenge of providing a clean surgical milieu in environments that are decidedly hostile to cleanliness. The combination of temperature extremes, blowing sand, dirt, mud, infection vectors, and the nature of battlefield wounds thwart the best intentions of maintaining cleanliness. Mitigating these problems requires setting priorities, teamwork, a rigorous daily regimen of cleaning, and a willingness to make improvements as opportunities become available.