A Patient With a Draining Wound

In practice

The schedule shows a patient coming in for a wound check, and his chart flags a resistant organism in the wound. Before he arrives, the medical assistant checks the practice's policy and the precautions the provider has ordered. She sets up the exam room with a dedicated blood pressure cuff and stethoscope that will stay in that room. When he arrives, she cleans her hands. She puts on a gown, tied at the neck and waist, and then gloves, pulled over the gown's cuffs. She measures his vital signs and helps him onto the table so the provider can examine the wound. When she leaves the room, she takes her equipment off in order. The gloves come off first, glove to glove and skin to skin. Then the gown, rolled inside out and away from her body. Then she cleans her hands, before touching the door handle. After the visit, she cleans and disinfects every surface he touched before the next patient comes into the room. The dedicated cuff and stethoscope are cleaned and disinfected before they are used for anyone else.