Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.
Issue link: http://outpatientsurgery.uberflip.com/i/519657
J U N E 2 0 1 5 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 4 9 for reprocessing techs. Sterilization failures can be tracked back to misinforma- tion or lack of knowledge. Techs often don't know what they don't know, and historically we haven't put enough resources into educating them about proper sterile processing. It's also a matter of having the right information and people on hand. Facilities often get into trouble because they don't have the latest manufac- turers' instructions for use, or they aren't following them carefully. There are also plenty of other issues, such as instruments that aren't maintained, evidence- based practices that aren't followed or other procedural missteps, like not trac- ing the instruments to the patient. A lot of times techs depend on leadership for resources, and the leadership might not know what exactly is needed. • In the news. Proper cleaning and decontaminating processes have been in the headlines a lot recently following the deadly duodenoscope outbreaks. But it's not just duodenoscopes that can be a problem — special attention must also be paid to all gastrointestinal scopes, which can be tricky to clean. To keep patients safe, facilities need to make sure they have personnel who are trained and knowledgeable on how all flexible scopes need to be reprocessed, and ensure that their protocols are thorough and in accordance with standards and recommended guidelines. • Decontamination starts in the OR. One aspect that's often overlooked is pre-cleaning in the OR, before the instruments head down to sterile processing. Instruments should be wiped down after use to remove bioburden and help prevent biofilm from forming. The instruments should also be disassembled and kept moist until they're covered and transported to sterile processing. By starting decontamination in the OR, you're making the process easier and more efficient for your techs. • Keeping it all straight. One of the best ways to revamp your sterile processing depart- ment is to make sure you have an expert on hand, either in house or in a consulting