need to happen gradually.
Most of our respondents (60%) agree that a switch to higher stan-
dards is needed, despite their confidence that they're currently meet-
ing the challenge nonetheless.
"I have wanted endoscopes to be sterilized for years," says Trish
Hebert, RN, BSN, MS, nursing director at the Springfield ASC in
Flourtown, Pa. "Even the best high-level disinfection cannot kill
spores of certain bacteria. And viruses and bacteria are becoming
more virulent."
Help needed
But good intentions can go only so far without cooperation from man-
ufacturers. Nearly half of respondents say they already sterilize their
heat-sensitive endoscopes, but among those who don't, lack of guid-
ance from manufacturers ranks high on the list of reasons. Many oth-
ers point to a lack of equipment and space, or they insist that it's
unnecessary if high-level disinfection is performed correctly.
Can you be confident you that your facility will never be the source
of an endoscopy-related outbreak?
"I'm confident, but not stupid," says another respondent. "Human
error can happen anywhere."
"That's just one reason we need to move toward sterilization,"
says Ms. Ofstead. "It provides a margin of error we cannot achieve
with high-level disinfection."
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