Sterile Processing Technology Broken Inserts Sterile Processing Technology

Sterile Processing Technology Broken Inserts

Sterile Processing Technology Flexible Inspection Microscope:

Sterile Processing Technology Insulation Leak Tester: Uses an electrical current to check for cracks in the insulation of laparoscopic instruments

Sterile Processing Technology Huber said she never felt quite right after the procedure. And a couple of weeks into her recovery, her abdominal pain became so bad she was rushed to the hospital. Doctors discovered she had a life-threatening infection after her bowel had ruptured. "I was so sick that at times I didn't think I was going to make it, " remembers Huber survived but only after several surgeries and weeks in the hospital. She was one of thousands of patients who've been injured by something called stray energy. In fact, Fuchshuber's study found insulation defects in up to 39 percent of devices and even in some brand new instruments. He's concerned that many doctors don't know the dangers of these surgical instruments. "We asked some of the most prominent chiefs of surgery around the country to answer a couple of questions about these things and we saw that, at the most, they got half of the questions right, " he said.

SPD and Infection Prevention: How you can help Do the staff have the training necessary to know where the difficult to clean areas are? Do the staff have the tools necessary to visualize the difficult to clean areas? Are Is the tools being used? the department adequately staffed to allow the technicians to give attention to difficult to clean instruments?

The Process Sterilizatio n Sterile Storage Prep and Pack Surgical Case Decontam

The Process High Temp vs. Low Temp

The Process Critical Parameters for Sterilization Conditions Sterilant Contact Time (temperature) Concentration

The Process High Temperature Sterilization AKA “Autoclaving” or “Cooking” Uses steam under pressure Vacuum (Pre-Vac) 270 degree steam at >27 PSIG Exposure for at least 4 minutes Dry inside the autoclave for 30 minutes Extended cooling periods Total process time about 3 hours

The Process Low Temperature Sterilization Uses Hydrogen Peroxide Gas High concentration Vacuum Exposure time typically about 12 -15 minutes Aeration Instruments ready in about 30 minutes Cost

SPD and Infection Prevention: How you can help Is there enough instrument stock to allow instruments to cool properly? Do staff understand the differences between sterilization methods? Is documentation correct and performed in a timely manner?

The Process Sterilization Sterile Storage Prep and Pack Surgical Case Decontam

Quality Assurance Check for holes in wraps, peel packs, filters Tamper-evident locks Internal indicators

SPD and Infection Prevention: How you can help How much of your inventory is wrapped vs. in rigid containers? How Do much are sets being handled? you have security protocols in your instrument storage rooms?

Sterile Processing Technicians Approximately 50, 000 nation wide 24, 633 -the most basic internationally standardized form of certification <4, 000 – any type of advanced certification Certification only required in four states Tennessee, Mean New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut wage in Arkansas $22, 000 Note: - $30, 000 National poverty level for a four person family: $24, 250

Sterile Processing Technicians “If I didn’t love it so much I would be doing something else because what I now make in CS/SPD is what I made at a retail store in 1990. The healthcare industry wants so much from us but most are not willing to give the matching rewards. ” - Ann Marie Trybus, Certified Sterile Processing Technician, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.

Sterile Processing Technicians “As far as what SPD techs are generally paid, unfortunately I have not seen a trend of better pay after all my years in this line of work. Most hospitals tend to pay on the low side and that sometimes keeps potentially talented prospects from applying, and the best and brightest go somewhere else. ” - Chuck De. Preker, Operating Room/Sterile Processing Supply Chain Manager at Eisenhower Army Medical Center

SPD and Infection Prevention: How you can help Certification should be mandatory Certification should be incentivized Long term educational and skills development programs are essential Long term retention of well-trained, high performing technicians benefits patient care

SPD and Infection Prevention “Howdy

Further study AIPIC New Orleans 2013 - Dr. Wava Truscott - “It’s Sterile. That’s all I need to worry about, Right? ” Available online – Google search “Wava Truscott” Sterile Processing Community on Linked. In “Beyond Clean” Podcast

Questions?