include a biological indicator in every load
to test the effectiveness of their autoclaves,
3% say they don't use one at all. However,
Ms. Nucci notes that the Association for the
Advancement of Medical Instrumentation
(AAMI) recommends weekly, and prefer-
ably daily, sterilizer efficacy testing with a
biological indicator, in addition to using an
internal chemical indicator in every sterili-
zation package.
Safer storage systems
Once your instruments are
reprocessed, don't let your techs' hard
work go to waste with poor storage. Keep
instruments in an enclosed area designed
for sterile supplies. "Some facilities put
their instruments in a cabinet or an area
not built for storing sterile equipment or
endoscopes," says Ms. Nucci. "Some even
leave sterile items out in the OR, exposed
to multiple patient procedures. This is
against AORN standards."
For endoscopes, consider updated cabi-
nets that feature extra-long bays for hang-
ing and filtered air vents. Some new sys-
tems even include tracking software to
alert staff when safe scope storage time is
exceeded. A few manufacturers also claim
their storage has anti-microbial properties,
4
9 8
O U T P A T 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 | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5
HOW DOES YOUR DISINFECTANT RATE?
Visit EPA website for more info
http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/atp-product-list.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/list-l-ebola-virus.html
Try before you buy:
When requesting a
free sample don't
forget to mention
Outpatient Surgery as how
you heard about us.
www.palmerohealth.com
800-344-6424
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Kills 21 Microorganisms
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