the surgical unit to make sure staff members had convenient access to
the solution. There are numerous waterless hand rubs available, and
each recommends a different application process, "so it's important to
follow the instructions for the ones you're using," says Ms. Perri.
4. Instrument care
Surgical instruments should be pre-cleaned at their point of use with a
facility-approved product, such as an enzymatic gel. When taking used
sets to the instrument reprocessing area, transport them in a securely
closed container that's marked with a biohazard label.
To help sterile processing techs who are often under pressure to
return sterilized instruments to the ORs as soon as possible, Ms. Perri
suggests creating abbreviated cleaning instructions that can be taped
onto the wall above decontamination sinks. That's especially helpful
for often-used complex instrumentation such as robotic or orthopedic
sets.
"Techs have a step-by-step guide right above the sink, and they can
read it as they go," says Ms. Perri. "Any instrument reprocessing
instructions that require special steps should be posted on the wall."
You should also insist on receiving loaner instrument trays at least
24 hours before the scheduled procedure they'll be used in to give the
sterile processing team plenty of time to properly disinfect and steril-
ize the tools.
5. Limited OR foot traffic
This issue is becoming more important than ever, with lengthier and
more complex procedures such as total joints becoming common-
place in outpatient facilities. Temple's cardiac team created a large
"Do Not Enter" sign that hangs above the main OR entrance. The hos-
pital also had to educate staff to not enter rooms during procedures to
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