ware had the capability to provide that
information, but our routine workflow
prevented us from using it to increase
efficiencies, improve the flow of instru-
ments, as well as their maintenance and
longevity, and improve the relationship
between central sterile and the ORs.
To understand why staff didn't always
engage our tracking software, you must first know how it's intended to
work. Scheduled cases are loaded into the system the day before surgery.
Members of the central sterile team pick needed instruments and supplies,
and then load them onto individual case carts. A team member then scans
individual instrument trays to link them to specific cases and patients, and
scans the case cart to pair it and its contents with the OR in which it will
be used. The next day, the scanned carts and instruments are delivered to
ORs, where nurses need to scan only the carts to pair them to the cases
they're working. If additional instrument trays are requested, a nurse
would have to scan it to link it to the patient's unique barcode because the
instruments weren't on the list of needed equipment.
When we began to investigate why we couldn't trace the drill's use,
we discovered sterile processing staff members scanned instrument
trays and carts only 30% to 40% of the time. I huddled with the sterile
processing team to ask a simple question: Why don't you scan instru-
ments on a consistent basis?
The reasons varied, from not receiving consistent education on how
the system works to forgetting to scan under the pressure of a consis-
tently heavy workload. Their feedback provided the guidance we needed
to make necessary changes to our workflows.
• Improved communication. The education we provided sterile pro-
cessing team members and OR nurses on proper scanning practices
A P R I L 2 0 2 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 7 5
• QUICK SCAN Scanning
trays can be done in seconds,
but incorporating the practice
into daily work routines takes
longer.