trained on instrument care,
and then annually there are
competencies for the staff on
instrument care. In addition
to the 2 central supply techs,
nurses and other techs are
rotated into processing to
cover for days off and vaca-
tions.
10. Gentle on the dia-
mond blades.
Use a dia-
mond blade chamber clean-
ing system instead of a brush
to reduce repairs on dia-
mond blades.
A reusable diamond blade
is made from diamond and is
extremely sharp. Some doctors use disposable blades to make an inci-
sion in the eye and that costs money. Omaha Surgical Center does 20-
plus cataract cases a day, and each one of those disposable blades can
cost from $15 to $20. The one-time purchase of a diamond blade, for
around $1,000, that can be reused every time can save quite a bit of
money for those surgeons who do a lot of cases.
But you have to be careful when cleaning a diamond blade.
Otherwise you risk wasting your one-time upfront cost. There was a
time when techs at Omaha Surgical Center cleaned diamond blades
by hand with a brush. But the forceful brushing caused the blade to
chip and sometimes dislodge from its handle, says Ms. Sawyer. They
decided the delicate diamond blade needed a gentler touch when
9 8 • 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 9
• DELICATE DIAMOND Expose the diamond blade from its handle, then
push it into the cleaning sponge and rinse.
Mark
Voigt/CentraCare
Health
