Ofstead. "And when that happens, we lose sight of what our goals
should be: protecting patients by making equipment safe for re-use; and
protecting staff from exposure to hazardous chemicals and infectious
diseases."
Sure, your techs need to clean, high-level disinfect and sterilize those
flexible endoscopes so they can get back into the lineup as quickly as
possible, but never at the expense of safety and quality. How? Start by
making sure you have an ample inventory of scopes, which would
resolve the constant "do it yesterday" pressure most sterile processing
departments face. Ms. Staubitz admits, however, that budget constraints
may make this "easier said than done" for some facilities.
Also, make sure sterile techs have the tools they need to do the job
right, including a broad selection of brush styles and sizes to accom-
modate the different ports and channels for cleaning different
lumened instruments. And, of course, never skimp on the proper PPE
— namely, hair covers, face shields, surgical masks, extended-cuff
gloves, impermeable gowns and shoe covers — because a dedicated,
capable sterile tech deserves protection from exposure just as much
as every one of your patients.
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issued a report on a similar instrument years before.
"The tech was brave in what he did," says Ms. Staubitz. "He was
told by the vendor not to open the rongeur, but he felt something
wasn't quite right. It was a hard thing to do, but his actions made
a difference. That's why your frontline staff are so important.
They're another set of eyes. They can help you identify surgical
instruments that, because of the nature of their design, may be
impossible, or nearly impossible, to clean, disinfect and sterilize."
— Bill Donahue