•
In addition to instruments in disrepair making their way to the sterile field , Joint Commission surveyors have noted with increasing frequency the reprocessing of single-use devices ( SUDs ) – items labeled by their manufacturer as “ single-use ” or disposable .
These devices are often made of lower quality materiel and as a result , develop pitting and oxidation which indicates to the surveyor that something might be amiss .
Patients face risks related to healthcare every day – do not let use of a soiled , damaged , or inappropriately reused SUD put patients or your health care organization at risk .
Sylvia Garcia-Houchins , RN , MBA , CIC , is director of infection prevention and control at The Joint Commission .
References :
1 . McDermott KW , Liang , L . Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research , Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project , Overview of Operating Room Procedures During Inpatient Stays in U . S .
Hospitals , 2018 . STATISTICAL BRIEF # 281 August 2021 Accessed at : https :// www . hcup-us . ahrq . gov / reports / statbriefs / sb281-Operating-Room- Procedures-During-Hospitalization-2018 . jsp
2 . Research and Markets . United States Outpatient Surgical Procedures Market 2019-2023 : Rising Number of Outpatient Surgical Procedures in ASCs , HOPDs , and Physicians ’ Office . Jan . 24 , 2019 PRNewswire Accessed at : https :// www . prnewswire . com / news-releases / united-states- outpatient-surgical-procedures-market-2019-2023- rising-number-of-outpatient-surgical-procedures-inascs-hopds-and-physicians-office-300783771 . html
3 . ECRI If It ’ s Not Clean , It ’ s Not Sterile : Reprocessing Contaminated Instruments . Event Reporting & Analysis – Alerts . Published 4 / 11 / 2017 . Accessed at : https :// www . ecri . org / components / PSOCore / Pages / e-lert041117 . aspx
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