1 0 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J U N E 2 0 1 6
A
re your
flexible
endo-
scopes
truly
clean? It's a question
many facility leaders
have asked since the
deadly "superbug" out-
breaks were linked to
dirty duodenoscopes.
Here are tips gleaned
from new AORN rec-
ommendations to help
ensure your scopes
are in tip-top shape for
patient use.
1
Record when cleaning begins
Biofilm can start to form in the lumens of endoscopes just a
few minutes after use, so it makes sense to record the times the
endoscopy ends and cleaning in sterile processing begins. This doesn't
need to be a complicated process — it can be as simple as writing the
time the endoscopy was completed on a whiteboard in the processing
Are Your Flexible
Endoscopes Really Clean?
5 reprocessing
recommendations.
Sharon A. Van Wicklin,
MSN, RN, CNOR, CRNFA
Denver, Colo.
• CLOSE INSPECTION Visual inspection alone — even with magnification — is not
sufficient to determine the cleanliness of flexible endoscopes.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN