PMC AVP of Surgical Services Andrea Akers RN, BSN explained, “We have never been closed, even during this pandemic. Our teams have continued to provide emergency surgery for multiple cardiac cases, traumas, stroke and more. We are excited to extend our services to once again, perform elective procedures. We are ready and so are our patients.”

Akers says patients have been anxious to get the go-ahead to reschedule their surgery.

She added, “We have procedures in place for screening upon entry to the hospital, safe social distancing and hand hygiene, all designed to enhance safety measures for patients and visitors. Exposure to additional people is held to a minimum as personal vehicles become waiting areas during surgery. Discharge information is explained car side when the patient is delivered back to their designated driver and is ready to leave.”

Extra steps are taken to keep patients, visitors and staff safe including a required patient pre-surgery Covid-19 test.

Akers explained that her staff works hard to communicate with visitors and deliver any necessary updates during procedures. They also provide a cell phone for patients to talk with their loved ones before surgery begins.

As the hospital continues to follow the recommendations of the CDC, the PMC Infection Control Department is consistently searching for ways to eliminate as many different types of bacteria as possible.

PMC has recently begun using a product that eliminates many types of bacteria found inside the nose, specifically, a type of staph bacteria called Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). PMC nursing staff recently completed training on Nozin® Nasal Sanitizer®, which is applied inside the nostrils twice a day.

“Using Nozin is going to be a powerful tool in our treatment of patients with MRSA,” explained PMC Director of Infection Control Nina Reynolds. “Previously, patients with MRSA were automatically placed in isolation, which resulted in an increased use of PPE for anyone entering the room. Now, in many instances, those patients will be able to remain in a regular room, which will hopefully reduce some of the stress placed on patients and their families.”

According to the CDC, as many as 30 percent of people can be nasal carriers of a staph bacteria.

Those statistics prompted PMC officials to add the use of Nozin to the daily treatment plan of every patient admitted to the hospital. Nozin will also be administered to patients before outpatient procedures.

“We are continuing to search for ways to keep our patients and staff safe, while we strive to ensure patients are pleased with their treatment while at PMC,” said Reynolds. “We feel the addition of Nozin will address both of those goals.”

For more information about Nozin call the PMC Infection Control Department at 606-218-3990.

PMC Director of Infection Control, Nina Reynolds said, “We have been reviewing the benefits of utilizing ultraviolet (UV) disinfection at our facility. It is amazing technology that gives us an extra edge on eliminating harmful pathogens and is becoming widely used in hospitals and laboratories.”

After rooms have been thoroughly cleaned these UV sterilization lamps are brought into certain areas for advanced decontamination. They are designed to enhance the potential for increased sterility.

“In the battle against COVID-19 these UV techniques can also extend the life of our personal protective equipment (PPE),” said Reynolds. “Our staff does an excellent job and we are excited to provide them with this advanced method to disinfect.”

Reynolds says they strive to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to patient safety and are consistently looking for proactive measure to keep everyone safe.

She reports that PMC has three large units on campus now and two more units have been ordered in addition to the purchase of six smaller units that will bring the hospital’s total to 11 units.

One of the first areas to re-open is the surgery department. Special measures are being made with a focus on safety.

PMC’s temporary visitation policy is still in place. Family members are currently not allowed in the facility with a patient for outpatient surgery unless the patient is less than 18 years of age.

For all scheduled surgical procedures, patients are required to undergo a COVID-19 test prior to the procedure. They are also required to self-quarantine after the test until their surgery is completed.

Patients will need a designated driver on their surgery day. Their driver will be asked to remain in the vehicle for the duration of the procedure. Staff will be available at the 3rd-floor parking garage entrance if needed for assistance or updates on the patient’s procedure.

Information will be collected, upon arrival, to identify the designated drivers’ vehicle make, model, color, and their phone number. The driver will receive a numbered tag that must be placed on the vehicle for patient discharge identification.

Staff will also enter the driver’s telephone number into the tracking board system allowing them to receive updates on the procedure. If drivers do not have a cell phone and would like an update, staff will be available to call and get updates for them.

When the procedure is complete and the patient has recovered, the driver will be called and directed to a designated parking space. Staff will bring the patient to the vehicle, where discharge instructions will be discussed.

Again, these measures are designed to keep patients, visitors and staff safe during this ongoing pandemic.

For additional information regarding surgical procedures, call 606-430-3500.