Sterilization & Disinfection
Session: Fast-forward—ECRI’s top 10 health technology hazards
Editor's Note ECRI, an independent, nonprofit organization that aims to improve the safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness of care across all healthcare settings, every year compiles and unveils a list of the top 10 technology hazards affecting patient care. The motivation for producing this list, according to Jason Launders, director of…
FDA updates safety recall of certain saline, sterile water medical products
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 24 updated its safety recall communication from November 6 to add to the voluntary recalls of saline and sterile water medical products associated with Nurse Assist, LLC. The FDA recall notice lists various water-based medical products manufactured by Nurse…
Surgeons design implant coating to combat infections
Editor's Note: A point-of-care, antimicrobial coating for orthopedic implants could soon make implant-associated infections a problem of the past, UCLA Health reported on January 3. Developed by two UCLA surgeons, the coating is designed to kill or slow the spread of micro-organisms in order to prevent post-surgical infections. According to…
Managing immediate use steam sterilization
Immediate use steam sterilization (IUSS, a standard steam sterilization cycle with little to no dry time) is considered safe for patient care when the processes recommended in Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) standards and AORN guidelines are followed. IUSS is a valuable option in an emergency. Lack…
Study: Hospital surfaces ridden with bacteria despite disinfection protocols
Editor's Note: Adherence to routine disinfection procedures may not be enough to prevent potentially harmful bacterial contamination of high-touch hospital surfaces, according to findings published January 10 in the American Journal of Infection Control. Manikins, bed rails, and workstations-on-wheels were the most contaminated surfaces. The study involved sampling and culturing…
FDA issues statements on VHP sterilization; hip surgery device safety
Editor's Note Recent announcements from The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) validate vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) as an established device sterilization method and warn against the use of the Synovo Total Hip Replacement system. Issued January 8, the announcement about VHP is part of the agency’s multi-pronged approach to…
Meeting the SPD staffing challenge
Takeaways • Failure to understand the complexity of the work performed in the sterile processing department (SPD) can lead to staff shortages, errors, and significant financial loss. • Strategies for addressing SPD staffing include effective orientation, certification, competency assessment, analyzing staffing needs, and leader visibility. • SPD schedules should reflect…
OR Manager Conference third place poster winner showcases impactful program from 2023
From highlighting the need for better preoperative nasal decolonialization to touting the success of personalized pediatric behavioral health interventions, the posters on display at the 2023 OR Manager Conference highlighted the exceptional work of clinicians in 2023. Poster: “Use of Alcohol-Based Nasal Antiseptic in Reducing Surgical Site Infections in Patients…
Study examines infection precautions during pandemic based on healthcare roles
Editor's Note A first-of-its-kind study examined a range of different professional healthcare roles during the pandemic and how they complied with precaution guidelines around infection prevention. The study, published in the American Journal of Infection Control on December 6, found statistically significant differences between job roles. The researchers conducted a…
Navigating the ‘tripledemic’: Flu, RSV, and COVID-19 in the OR
The healthcare sector has begun grappling with a repeat challenge this fall and winter: the simultaneous surge of three significant respiratory diseases—flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 among both children and adults. When these diseases collide, they constitute what experts have termed a “tripledemic,” which poses a significant strain…
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- Analyzing outpatient surgery emerging trends as ASC market growth expected at $130B by 2031
- Health systems invest in outpatient care, repurpose hospitals for mental health and rehab
- Study: Non-operative management of pediatric appendicitis cost-effective compared to surgery
- AMA letter expresses opposition to CRNA use of 'nurse anesthesiologist' title
- House report criticizes COVID-19 pandemic response, calls for reform
- Medical device coating could reduce blood clot risks
- FDA pilot program aims to expedite high-risk medical device recall communication