Sterilization & Disinfection
Don’t let faulty processing put a damper on instrument packaging
Instruments that are still damp or wet after being sterilized cannot be placed in storage. The moisture that remains on or inside of a package can create a pathway for microorganisms to travel from the outside to the inside of the package. Moisture may be in the form of visible…
Infections spur new guidelines for endoscope reprocessing
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 17 published a final guidance on reprocessing reusable medical devices. This guidance, which provides manufacturers with recommendations to validate their reprocessing instructions, comes on the heels of a host of “superbug” bacteria outbreaks related to reprocessing of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) duodenoscopes.…
Water: A critical ingredient for instrument cleaning and disinfection
Using the right type of water for instrument reprocessing can prolong the life of medical instrumentation, contribute to effective function, and—most importantly—minimize the risk of adverse patient outcomes from contamination. The water quality requirement for various stages of instrument reprocessing depends on the type of instrument and the disinfection or…
CMS replaces flash sterilization with IUSS
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has replaced the term “flash sterilization” with “immediate use steam sterilization” (IUSS) in surgical settings. The change in terminology, which applies to Medicare-participating hospitals, critical access hospitals, and ambulatory surgical centers that are subject to Conditions of Participation or Conditions of Coverage,…
Best sterile processing managers anticipate, collaborate, stay up to date
With more than 36 years of experience in sterile processing, I have seen many changes occur, and I know what it takes to be an effective sterile processing (SP) manager. The goal of an effective SP manager is to determine where the department is now, where you want it to…
Environmental cleaning in sterile processing areas
Thorough environmental cleaning limits the number of microorganisms that can be transferred to the patient and the healthcare provider, thus helping to prevent healthcare-associated infections. A team consisting of perioperative nursing, sterile processing, environmental services, and infection prevention staff needs to be established to develop cleaning procedures for all areas…
A risk analysis of the steam sterilization process can improve patient safety
The steam sterilization process is complex and includes a number of important steps: decontamination, preparation and packaging, sterilization, quality control, sterile storage, and product distribution. The effectiveness of this process cannot be determined by inspection or testing of each product, and because sterility assurance is a probability function, it must…
Perioperative services overhaul proves effort is worth the time
Getting a zero deficiency rating on a recent Joint Commission survey and bringing sterile processing in house are 2 of many improvements made at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital over the past decade. When Frances Baldwin, MBA, RN, assistant vice president of perioperative services, joined the hospital 11 years ago, Georgetown…
Improving instrument readiness cuts case delays, boosts surgeon satisfaction
Surgical case delays have been found to last an average of nearly 17 minutes. Not only do such delays make surgeons dissatisfied, they also reduce case volume and related revenues, and they may lead to additional time under anesthesia for patients. The root causes of instrument-based delays are seldom simple,…
Are you correctly using rigid sterilization containers for IUSS?
Although immediate-use steam sterilization (IUSS) is a safe method to sterilize emergently contaminated instruments, inappropriate use may lead to an increased risk for surgical site infection, according to a study in the American Journal of Infection Control. This study stated the only acceptable indicator for use of IUSS based on…
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