ing from the trench-
es.
Segregate
your scopes.
Work with your
team to nail down a
process that avoids
co-mingling of
scopes with other
scopes of any kind,
says Jenny
Crnkovich, assistant director and educator in the department of ster-
ile processing at NorthShore University Health System in Chicago, Ill.
Every time a reusable medical device is received in decontam or the
dirty room, what it's been exposed to is unknown. When items are
segregated, the process allows for a low occurrence of improper
cleaning and reduces overall risk to reprocessing staff. Segregation
also assists in the bi-directional tracking of the device, a key step all
facilities should perform.
Use new disposables to clean every scope.
Using
fresh, single-use chemistries, disposable brushes, sponges and
other one-time use consumables to clean a scope reduces the risk of
cross-contamination and is often required by reprocessing instruc-
tions for use, says Ms. Crnkovich. Reusing contaminated cleaning
agents is poor practice and puts patients and staff at risk — especially
if there is an exposure.
1
2
F E B R U A R U Y 2 0 1 8 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 4 7
• LIQUID MEASUREMENTS For effective disinfection, you must use the proper amount
of enzyme solution and the water temperature must be in the proper range.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR