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I N F E C T I O N
P R E V E N T I O N
years, and possibly annually, may be warranted. Mr. Gonzales adds
that anything inconsistent or confusing in the instructions needs the
manufacturer's clarification.
Once your techs have been trained to the instructions, "you've got to
put them where your staff can have access to them," says Ms. Chobin.
Slip them into plastic page protectors, organize them into 3-ring
binders, make them available at a moment's notice. Instructions that
are locked up or buried in your office won't do anyone any good.
Future reference is only part of the reason for ready access. "CMS
and the Joint Commission are looking for the instructions," says Ms.
Chobin. "If your staff can't produce them, you'll be in trouble. They
want to know that you have and use them."
3. Your reprocessing is an inconsistent process.
Adequate equipment and written directions are no guarantee your
staff is cleaning correctly. Routine, thorough in-service training sessions may be worthwhile to make sure they are.
The process involves many moving parts, both literally and figuratively. "Everybody should know how to take devices apart, clean
them, and put them back together," says Carol Imes, RN, MPA, CNOR,
director of the Mentor Surgery Center in Mentor, Ohio. Endoscopes,
laparoscopic tools, ophthalmic instruments and other lumened items
require particularly meticulous care.
"So many things can go wrong with decontamination," says Ms.
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | M A R C H 2013
