patients. However, we have since found that switching to a primary
care model, which involves the admission nurse traveling with the
patient all the way through the procedure to recovery. This means all
staff are trained in all areas, a practice that allows for more staffing
flexibility. Additionally, patients appreciate being cared for by a single
nurse throughout their stay.
Our scope handling practices help to improve our overall efficien-
cies, but, more importantly, they ensure our patients receive the safest
care possible. Scopes are flushed and wiped down at the patient's bed-
side, and transported to the reprocessing area in a sealed, labeled con-
tainer. Our reprocessing techs are diligent in their manual cleaning
methods, ensuring the correct-sized brush is used to scrub away
bioburden in internal channels. The scopes are run through an auto-
matic endoscope reprocessor and the internal channels are flushed
with alcohol to promote drying before the scopes are hung in storage.
Your reprocessing techs likely know the basics of proper endoscope
care, but they might not be aware of the little things they can do to
improve their practices. Our endoscope manufacturer sends a rep out
twice a year to observe our scope handling practices, from bedside to
storage. The rep is very knowledgeable and provides our staff with
useful, constructive advice. They appreciate his feedback and tell me
it helps them improve their practices or confirms they're doing every-
thing correctly. The rep lives four hours away from our center, but
says he'd gladly make the trip for his own colonoscope screening
because he knows our reprocessing techs take meticulous care of our
scopes. Efficiency is essential in an endoscopy center, but feedback
like that is even more important.
OSM
4 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • A P R I L 2 0 2 0
Ms. Hogan (bethhogan715@gmail.com) is the clinical director of nursing at the
Northern GI Endoscopy Center in Glens Falls, N.Y.
