people who don't realize they have to follow IFUs. Even though it can
be difficult, it's no longer acceptable to stick with the way it's always
been done because you haven't had any problems.
Don't cut corners. The name of the game, particularly in ASCs,
is get the patient in, take care of that patient, recover them, and
discharge them as quickly and as safely possible. That's the whole
point of the outpatient process. That's also why you're always in a
hurry to get that room turned over and another patient into it. The
"treat 'em and street 'em" mentality is a temptation to cut corners and
take shortcuts. Make it clear that infection prevention isn't an area in
which you should try to save time. Whether it's how you're cleaning
and sterilizing a medical device, turning over a room or any other
infection prevention procedure, the staff needs to know that there are
no shortcuts in this arena. They need to perform those duties a certain
way at an acceptable level no matter what.
Have enough inventory and equipment. It's always important
to assess what you're asking your staff to do, and whether it's
reasonable. Time constraints are a huge issue and stressful for every-
body concerned. It's hard to ask the staff to not cut corners by engag-
ing in practices such as immediate-use steam sterilization if there are
instruments or instrument trays that are heavily used and always in
the quick cycle of having to get them back to the OR. It's always good
to perform an audit of your instruments' usage. If there are particular
trays that are constantly in the OR-to-sterile-processing flow, it might
make sense to invest in an additional tray. Your system would be less
harried with the additional devices, and they could lower your infec-
tion rates, as well.
The same applies to the equipment within the sterile processing
4
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Infection Prevention
IP
2 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9
