6. Instrument inventory.
Purchase adequate instrument invento-
ries. Many facilities don't have an adequate rotation of instruments to
meet the demands of the surgical schedule. When someone from the
OR states, "We need these things back ASAP to use them on another
patient," it places sterile processing professionals in a conundrum.
They can't follow IFUs to the letter and also get the instruments back
to the OR in time.
This is when corners get cut, and when facilities resort to immedi-
ate-use steam sterilization (IUSS). Inadequate inventory of instru-
ments is no longer an acceptable reason to use IUSS. And it perpetu-
ates a vicious cycle. You don't have enough instruments, yet the
expectation that they'll be cleaned, inspected and stored properly
remains. When they aren't, surgeons get frustrated and, of course, sur-
veyors hand out citations during inspections.
Always follow manufacturers' instructions for use and best prac-
tices when caring for your instrument inventory to ensure every
patient receives the same standard of care: properly cleaned, disinfec-
ted, inspected, assembled, sterilized and working instruments.
OSM
1 0 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • A U G U S T 2 0 1 9
Mr. Marrs (bob@beyondclean.net), the vice president of organizational develop-
ment at Beyond Clean, has worked in surgery for 20 years as a certified surgical
technologist, central sterile technician, case cart coordinator, and sterile process-
ing supervisor, manager and director.
