Incorporation of skin preparation guidelines in local surgical facility protocols: what kind of barriers does it face? A multi-centre study in France.

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is the most frequent and severe adverse event after surgery. Among preventive measures, the preoperative skin preparation (PSP) is known to be heterogeneously implemented in routine practice. A prerequisite would be the actual incorporation of guidelines in French surgical local protocols.

Aim: To assess whether PSP recommendations have been incorporated in local protocols and to identify the reasons for the non-incorporation.

Methods: An online survey was proposed to all infection control teams (ICTs) in facilities participating in the French national surveillance and prevention of SSI network Spicmi. The reference recommendations were based on the French Society for Hospital Hygiene guidelines.

Findings: In all, 485 healthcare facilities completed the questionnaire. The incorporation of recommendations in the facility protocol varied between 30% and 98% according to the recommendation. The measures most frequently incorporated were antisepsis with an alcoholic product and cessation of systematic hair removal. The least frequently incorporated were the use of plain soap for preoperative shower and the non-compulsory skin cleaning in the operating room. Barriers reported were either specific to PSP (e.g. 'Concern about an increase of SSI', 'Scepticism about recommendations', 'Force of habit') or non-specific (e.g. 'The protocol not yet due to be updated').

Conclusion: We suggest that although some major prevention measures have been incorporated in the local protocol of most facilities, local protocols still frequently include some non-evidence based former recommendations. Communication about evolution of SSI rates, diffusion of guidelines by learned societies, and exchange with judiciary experts could make clear the conditions for applying recommendations.