Forced air warming in operation rooms has been inked to surgical site infections, according to an article on the Outpatient Surgery website.
Lawsuits suggest that a forced-air warming unit can disrupt the flow of sterile air inside an OR and stir up contaminants from the floor, thereby increasing the potential for infections.
Some healthcare facilities are currently investigating alternatives to forced air in light of the allegations.
For instance, Ohio Valley Surgical Hospital in Springfield, Ohio, employs both forced-air and conductive lightweight fabric warmed by low-voltage electricity to keep patients normothermic.
Gaps in Nurses' Environmental Cleaning Knowledge Grow Amid Rising EVS Pressures
Ground Broken on the Southern Nevada Forensic Facility
Jackson Hospital Falls Victim to Third-Party Cybersecurity Incident
Making Healthcare Lighting Retrofits Work
Stadium Design is Reshaping Healthcare Facilities