Guidelines in Practice: Design and Maintenance of the Surgical Suite

Hospital construction and renovation is an ongoing occurrence in the health care setting. The recently updated AORN "Guideline for design and maintenance of the surgical suite" provides perioperative nurses with information on the layout design and maintenance of perioperative spaces; safety measures to use during construction and renovation; monitoring and maintenance of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; and how to respond to unintended utility failures. This article provides an overview of the guideline and discusses recommendations for the interdisciplinary team, planning and designing the surgical suite, construction-related environmental contamination, ORs, and OR maintenance. It also includes a scenario describing specific concerns associated with the construction of an additional OR. Perioperative nurses should review the guideline in its entirety and apply the recommendations when participating in perioperative construction and renovation projects.