8 2 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8
Take a proactive
approach to ensuring
sterilized and complete
instrument sets are
returned to the ORs,
says Adam Okada,
CRCST, CIS, manager
of sterile processing at
Marian Regional
Medical Center in
Santa Maria, Calif.
He teams with Sue Merriman, the department's lead sterile
reprocessing tech, to randomly inspect at least 3 sets of sterilized
instruments each week. During the spot audits, they ensure the
sets are complete and that the tools are in good working order.
They confirm that sterilization indicators and filters are present in
rigid containers and blue wrap is properly lined and free of tears.
Reprocessing techs work off an audit sheet when reassembling
sterilized instruments, so there's no ambiguity as to what Mr.
Okada and Ms. Merriman are looking for when they pop lids off
containers or rip tape off blue wrap.
Mr. Okada ultimately wants to find that at least 90% of audited
sets have been properly reprocessed. "Staff focus a little more on
proper instrument care when they know there's a chance the sets
they worked on will be examined," he says. "The idea is to catch
errors and inconsistencies, and let staff know about them in a
non-punitive way, before instruments reach the OR."
— Daniel Cook
Keep Reprocessing Techs on Their Toes
• INSPECTOR GADGET Sue Merriman, lead reprocessing tech at Marian
Regional Medical, performs a random audit of a sterilized instrument set.
Adam
Okada,
CRCST,
CIS
