Guidelines in Practice: Surgical Attire

Abstract

Perioperative team members wear surgical attire when working in the OR. Wearing clean surgical attire is important to maintain a high level of cleanliness for patient safety. The recently updated AORN “Guideline for surgical attire” provides perioperative nurses with recommendations for wearing surgical attire in the semirestricted and restricted areas of the perioperative setting. This article discusses recommendations for laundering; head coverings; shoes; and identification badges, access cards, and personal items. It also includes a scenario describing compliance monitoring for an updated policy related to cleaning cell phones and performing hand hygiene after cell phone use. Perioperative nurses should review the guideline in its entirety and apply the recommendations for wearing surgical attire in the perioperative environment.