AORN JOURNAL JULY 1986, VOL. 44, NO I

Susan E Kasal, “Infractions in aseptic techniques: A research study,” AORN Journal 41 (March 1985) 61 1-620.

In this study, 110 AORN members classified a list of aseptic infractions as major or minor. Major infractions were defined as any infraction perceived to be a significant cause of postoperative wound infection. Examples of major infractions were: “circulating nurse does not wash before each case,” “expiration date of sterile item not checked,” and “wrapped sterile item dropped on floor, then used.”

The list of infractions generated by this study could be used to measure the type and frequency of infractions in any operating room-one example of how this study could be used by the membership.

SUSAN KLEINBECK, RN 1986 NURSING RESEARCH COMMITTEE

B J Lowery, B S Jambsen, “On the m q u e n c e s of overturning turnover: A study of performance and turnover,” Nursing Research 33 (November- December 1984) 363-367.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether voluntary termination of employment results in displacement of poor performers. Researchers studied 276 full-time nurses hired in a large hospital who stayed at least 1 M years. When the data was collected, 92 had left employment while the other 184 remained.

Performance ratings compared the subjects’ and their supervisors’ rating on 10 job fsctors. Results indicated that those who left scored signilicantly lower on factors such as perfomce, quality of work, adaptability and dependability, commun- ication skills, equipment and supplies used, interest, and motivation.

Cost of the turnovers were estimated at $2,000 per person, which may be an extravagant, short- term waste. However, in the long run, replacing a poor performer who has left with a better performer who has stayed may prove to be cost- effective. This study also raised the possibility that employee turnovers may have a positive effect on the institution if the poorer performers are the

ones who leave. Although this study acknowledges the high mts

associatedwithonentingandeduatingnursesnew to the operating room, nurse managers must consider the potential benefits of turnovers. Perhaps more emphasis could be placed on rewarding nurses who have demonstrated superior performance and who have remained on staff for longer than 1M years.

CYNTHIA SPRY, RN CHAIRMAN

1986 NURSING RESEARCH COMMllTF,E

Editor3 note: Research reviews prepared by the AORN National Nursing Research Committee will appear in the Journal quarterly.

Routine Urinalysis May Be Unnecessary Routine urinalysis with each hospital admission may be unnecessary, a California internist reported in the March 24 Medical World News.

E Allan Hubbell, MD, arrived at that conclusion after studying the results of 252 patients admitted in one month to the University of califomia, Irvine Medical Center. The patients’ medical records were checked for the reason for urinalysis, whether the test results were abnormal, the type of abnormality, and whether patient management was changed becaw of the test results.

Urinalyses were ordered for 204 patients, 114 of which were considered routine-unrelated to the patient’s history or physical. Thirty-four of the routine tests revealed urine abnormalities that resulted in more than half being repeated. The abnormalities turned out to be transient and self- limiting, such as glycoswia, proteinuria, and hematuria.

However, no change in treatment resulted for any of those patients on the basis of the urinalysis results. Dr Hubbell suggests that a urinalysis should be ordered on the basis of the findings of the history, physical exam, or results of other lab tests, as with other diagnostic tests.

24