Meeting infection control standards in the OR

Quality health care is associated with the absence of negative outcomes in patients. Institutions realize that quality cannot be assured but it can be assessed and methods can be developed to improve patient care. Many heath care institutions, therefore, have begun the conceptual transition from quality assurance model to principles of continuous quality improvement (CQI). This article describes a CQI project that was developed to enhance infection control standards in OR settings. The project involved three phases: development of a survey tool, implementation of an environmental assessment and monitoring model, and transfer of the model to OR staff members. Five months after implementation of the model, the chi-square test revealed there was a significant improvement in compliance (chi 2 = 5.0, P < .03). After 22 months of using the model, compliance to infection control standards remains high and OR staff members have taken ownership of the model by incorporating it into their departmental CQI process.