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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 | O U T P AT 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
more than
going into a
facility and
having some-
one say, "We
love it when
Stanley is
doing the
scopes. He
can turn them
around in less
than 12 min-
utes!" If the
high-level dis-
infectant in
use has a
label instruc-
tion of a 12-
minute soak
time, this
means some or all of the process is being done incorrectly. There
can be time pressures. Ideally, you'll purchase additional scopes to
keep the patient flow going and allow for proper processing. The
key is getting clinic and hospital administration to understand how
critical it is to process each and every scope correctly — and that
takes time.
Standardizing makes sense
Standardizing the process is a good idea to ensure steps aren't skipped
or shortchanged. Purchasing a single brand of scope can also help, as
E N D O S C O P Y
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
SOAKING THE SCOPE Enzymatic detergents or enzymatic detergent-disinfectants
help
break down proteins and other biological debris in the lumens of the scope.
CONNECTED Automatic endoscope reprocessors automate most of the scope-
cleaning process. Correct connections between the scopes and the AER are key.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
