O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 6 3
C
entral
pro-
cess-
ing
techni-
cians are perhaps the
most underappreciated
members of your staff.
They work tirelessly
and without acclaim —
and often out of sight
— to ensure stacks
upon stacks of complex
instrument sets are
cleaned, sterilized, reor-
ganized and returned to
the ORs in time to keep your surgical schedule on track. Their efforts protect
patients from harm, but when was the last time you watched how they perform
their routine tasks to identify workplace hazards? We did and, as a result, we
implemented the following safety-related improvements. The result of the initia-
tive: an 86% reduction in the number of days staff missed from work due to on-
the-job injuries.
Sterile Processing Safety Check
The unsung heroes of your facility deserve to work without worry.
Ross Simon, BA, and Elena G. Canacari, RN, BSN, CNOR | Boston, Mass.
SINGLE LANE Techs should push only one instrument cart at a time,
using both hands and proper body mechanics, to lower the risks of
musculoskeletal injuries and accidental collisions with colleagues.
Photos
by
Beth
Israel
Deaconess
Medical
Center