and that tray is wrapped daily, you'll spend $20 per week on wrap, and
$15,600 over a 15-year period.
That expense doesn't account for the disposal costs associated
with blue wrap, which can add up. "It's not just the cost of the con-
tainer versus the cost of the wrap," says Ms. Chobin. "You must also
consider the expense of disposing or recycling of blue wrap and the
staffing hours of the workers who collect it and send it out. That
time is money."
By the book
Based on the clear benefits associated with rigid containers, you have
to wonder why more facilities don't do away with blue wrap for good.
Cleaning concerns can be an issue. Rigid sterilization containers must
be cleaned between each use, but this is a corner that gets cut more
often than it should.
"Containers aren't being regularly cleaned in about 20% of facilities I
visit," says Ms. Chobin. She believes there's a common misconception
about the clean-between-each-use mandate: Some staff members
believe containers that aren't brought into the OR don't have to wiped
down. "I don't know where that assumption started," says Ms. Chobin.
"But the instructions for use from every container's manufacturer
state their containers must be cleaned after each use.
"Rigid containers are cost-effective, they've been proven to pre-
vent instrument damage and they're an effective barrier against
contamination," she adds. "I think rigid containers are one of the
best things that's ever happened to sterile processing."
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