Can Your Instrument Program Pass This Test?
You should be able to answer "yes" to these 5 questions.
F
unctional, available and sterile instruments are critical to a
safe and efficient surgical facility. Can you get a perfect score
in this 5-question assessment of your instrument program?
Are your sterile reprocessing technicians certified?
Most facility personnel who reprocess every instrument, from
cranial drills to minimally invasive cauterizing clamps, are often only
required to have a GED to qualify for the role. But if you don't require
your technicians to attend a certification program, you can't be sure
of what baseline knowledge they have that's necessary to ensure safe
surgical instrumentation in the role (such as basic microbiology, regu-
latory standards and documentation).
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2 6 • 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 A n U A R Y 2 0 1 8
Infection Prevention
Weston "Hank" Balch, CRCST, CIS, CHL
• QUALITY INDICATOR The quality of your facility's surgical instrument program is one of the most important — and most
often overlooked — aspects of safe and efficient surgical care.
