that exteriors are dried with a soft, lint-free cloth or sponge. Any
moisture that remains on the surfaces is an invitation for microbes to
begin growing, once the endoscope is stored.
For storage, drying cabinets that circulate high-efficiency particulate
air and force filtered air through the endoscope channels are optimal.
The process continuously dries endoscopes and inhibits bacterial
growth. In the absence of a drying cabinet, any fluid that remains
inside the scope may let microorganisms breed and grow. The unre-
solved question is how long you can consider a scope clean and sterile,
or clean and high-level-disinfected, once it's stored. The literature is all
over the map on this. Study conclusions range from as short a time as
48 hours to as long as 56 days. Nor do professional organizations agree
on maximum safe storage times.
7. Surveillance culturing
Implement a program for regular microbiologic surveillance culturing.
Yes, it can be expensive and time-consuming, but it pays to build it
into your budget. Talk with your chief of endoscopy, your infection-
control practitioner and a nurse leader about how often it should be
necessary: maybe once every 15 days, or once a month. And then talk
to vendors about cost. What can you do through your GPO?
Surveillance can help you monitor the quality of your reprocessing
and the effectiveness of your corrective interventions. It can also help
identify sources of contamination, and detect scopes that need serv-
ice. Be sure to include your AERs in the surveillance schedule. Using
a contaminated AER can end up re-contaminating every scope it
comes into contact with.
OSM
J a n u a r y 2 0 1 7 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 1 2 1
Dr. Bashaw (marie.bashaw@wright.edu) is a clinical assistant professor, the
director of nursing administration and the director of the healthcare master's
program at the Wright State University College of Nursing and Health.
