Better communication and teamwork improve sterile processing efficiency
Relations between the OR and the sterile processing department (SPD) are not always smooth. OR staff need timely, accurate instrument trays that meet the highest standards of safety. Anything short of 100% performance leads to complaints about the SPD. But many OR staff members do not appreciate the challenges faced…
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…
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…
New curriculum aims to reduce hazards of energy devices in the OR
When it comes to patient safety in the OR, the risk of fire or other damage caused by surgical instruments is an area that deserves greater attention. Professional medical societies concerned about such risks have developed a multidisciplinary curriculum that addresses appropriate and safe use of energy devices in surgery…
FDA, Joint Commission cite safety concerns with power morcellation
Reports about problems associated with power morcellation in gynecologic surgery led to safety warnings in November 2014 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Joint Commission. The FDA on November 24 updated its Safety Communication on the use of laparoscopic power morcellation in hysterectomies and myomectomies. The previous…
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…
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…
Learning from Leaning: Case cart readiness improves after barriers are removed
Bristol Hospital had a supply problem. Instruments were often missing from case carts, so nurses had to scramble to find the items on the morning of a scheduled procedure. Staff wondered whether the problem was caused by shortages, but a Lean process revealed an entirely different scenario and forged a…
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,…
Free Daily News
- Study: COVID-19's impact on oncological surgery offers lessons for future crises
- Study links pandemic stress to persistent increases in nursing-sensitive quality indicators
- Save the date for the 2025 OR Business Management Conference
- Study: Education, exercise improve knee OA with or without prior surgery
- Study: Early surgery outperforms endoscopy for long-term pancreatitis
- Study: Blood thinner, NSAID combination raises bleeding risk
- Hospital financial report predicts stability, high cybersecurity costs for 2025
- IV fluid shortage drives innovation in hospital hydration practices
- FDA Class 1 recalls target anesthesia workstations, ambulatory infusion pumps, ventilators
- Five leadership lessons from an ASC CEO