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I N F E C T I O N
P R E V E N T I O N
these days or whether the industry as a whole is more aware of the
ins and outs of sterile processing, but it seems as if a lot more instruments deviate from the usual. To help SPD get it right and keep instruments flowing, we have cheat sheets taped to each sterilizer. Here's an
example:
Cycle #1
Manufacturer Tray A
3-minute exp
Manufacturer Tray B
20-minute dry
Manufacturer Tray C
270°F
Manufacturer Tray D
Manufacturer Tray E
There are 6 such cycles, and SPD staff can say either, "OK, what trays
do I need for Cycle #1?" or "What do I do with this tray?" and find the
answer.
Monitoring outside instruments
Implants and special instruments that come in at the last minute for trialing or on loan threaten sterility assurance. Because of the cuttingedge research our surgeons are involved in, our facility participates in a
lot of manufacturers' trials. We're happy to advance a surgery — but
not at the expense of sterile processes. We've set ground rules that all
reps must sign on to if they want to even set foot in our facility:
• All implant trays must be complete and delivered before 10 a.m., 2
days before the case (on Thursday for a Monday case).
• Reps must be present for every surgery in which their equipment is
being used, and they must clean their trays before leaving the facility.
This is partly an infection-control issue — reps are the best-trained people to handle equipment that would be unfamiliar to our sterile processing techs — and partly insurance against being blamed for lost or missing parts.
Looking forward, I'd love to get better monitoring tools. I'm trialing
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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 | J U N E 2013
