respective departments and ask them to extend their sphere of influ-
ence by serving as the first set of buddies. The size of your facility will
determine how many buddy-to-buddy connections are needed, and
whether they should have designated specialties based on the volume
and types of procedures you perform.
2. Set the tone
Surgical techs and RNs should be paired with a central processing
tech buddy at some point during their orientations. Giving new OR
employees the opportunity to spend time in SPD allows them to learn
about the decontamination and sterilization processes, and gain an
appreciation for how the SPD staff contributes to safe patient care.
Likewise, new hires in SPD should be paired with an OR buddy and
spend time observing surgical procedures to understand how and why
the instruments they clean and sterilize are used. Of course, these vis-
its should be encouraged for existing employees as well.
3. Call for constant communication
Buddies should develop a rapport by meeting monthly at first, then
perhaps quarterly after the relationship is forged. The buddies should
also be on the horn with each other as needs arise in either direction.
For example, a delicate laparoscope showing up in SPD at the bottom
of a tray buried under other instruments could lead to a multi-thou-
sand-dollar repair bill. Or a missing instrument in a tray could delay a
procedure's start time. A simple call from one buddy to another can
solve the problem quickly. The alternative is to get the managers
involved, do nothing and get frustrated, or work around the issue.
None of these options are constructive.
Buddies should talk constantly, not just to solve crises. For example,
an SPD staff member can call her buddy in the OR to say they've
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