process from start to finish. While it may sound obvious, you'd be sur-
prised at how many facilities jump headfirst into building a SPD with-
out getting critical input from the staff members who will be using
that department day in and day out.
We paid attention to the needs of our frontline workers when decid-
ing which staff-friendly features to add to our revamped SPD. When it
comes to worker safety and satisfaction, it's often the small things
that make the biggest difference.
• Easier access. If you have sliding doors leading into your deconta-
mination area, make sure the door's track has a ramp-like device on it
to make the entry as smooth as possible. That way when staff are
wheeling heavy case carts in and out, they aren't pulling or tugging
too hard, which can easily result in injury.
• Ergonomic aids. Automated instrument loaders remove the physi-
cal burden of placing heavy instrument trays into steam sterilizers.
Additionally, adequate lighting at decontamination workstations
reduces eye strain when cleaning and inspecting instruments. Finally,
mobile storage shelves let reprocessing techs move the shelves so
they can position themselves properly to avoid injury when placing
and removing instrument trays onto or from the racks.
• High-tech monitoring. Instrument-tracking technology reduces
the mental stress and time needed to locate specific trays within your
facility. It can also help you monitor reprocessing cycles to identify
areas of needed improvement and opportunities to streamline the
process.
• Staff perks. In addition to the third floor, window-filled view of
New York City, we added a lounge area for the SPD staff, a place where
they could get off their feet, escape the daily grind and recharge for a
couple of minutes. We also sprung for a coffee machine, which is a first
for us. And instead of having the giant bottles of filtered water that
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