sterile processing
By Norman Thompson , MBA , CRCST , CER , CHL
Healthcare and Sterile Processing Professionals Can Lead Charge for Positive Change
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In many cases , the sterile processing department
( SPD ) still suffers from an identity crisis with other departments it serves ; many simply are unaware of the work that takes place in the SPD , and the level of expertise needed to get the job done safely , efficiently and correctly .
The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in America was January 20 , 2020 , and many of us still vividly recall the news broadcasts that informed us that this life-changing virus had landed in our homeland . Although it wasn ’ t deemed a pandemic at the time , that would change just weeks later – and along with that , our personal and professional lives would change along with it , in some notable ways . The pandemic forced the world to reevaluate how we interact in our daily lives , both in and out of the healthcare facility , and it ’ s also forced us to lessen the grip of “ doing things as we always have .”
No question , the shifts perpetuated by the pandemic have caused chaos and unsettling concerns about not only what our day-to-day lives look like now , but what shape that will take moving forward . Although many questions remain to be answered , one thing we know is now is a time for unity and turning obstacles into opportunities for positive change — and the healthcare industry can lead the crusade .
Teamwork will continue making our mission statements work , and achieving it in a healthy , ongoing way needs to be a top priority . Our critical need to work together , united in our common goal of patient safety and quality patient care , must stay at the forefront – not just today and tomorrow , but in the long-term , indefinite future . True teamwork is a pursuit that ’ s long been touted , encouraged and promoted , but it is not something that is always successfully attained . We might enjoy it during certain projects and for brief periods following training events and collaboration initiatives , for example , but for many facilities , it ’ s fleeting . The time is now to finally ingrain it into the fabric and lifeblood of our organizations , departments and individual selves .
When healthcare organizations ’ rallying cry becomes , ‘ We ’ re all in this together and are operating as a cohesive unit , not as separate professionals on different teams ,’ our service delivery improves and positive outcomes result . Communication and commitment to education and professional development will help drive this unification and make our healthcare mission statements a mission , not just a statement .
SPD ’ s critical role
In many cases , the sterile processing department ( SPD ) still suffers from an identity crisis with other departments it serves ; many simply are unaware of the work that takes place in the SPD , and the level of expertise needed to get the job done safely , efficiently and correctly . If a positive has come from the pandemic , it ’ s that it ’ s created an opportunity to reintroduce the services SP professionals provide and , in some cases , show how they can serve other departments in new ways .
It ’ s up to SP leaders to demonstrate their contributions and value through process and practice analysis and data capture / dissemination . The department should consistently implement and utilize proven analyses to build a robust environment and ensure that the team is working most effectively and efficiently . The two analytical methods I ’ ve found to be most effective in an ever-changing environment like the SPD are continuous quality improvement ( CQI ) and root cause analysis ( RCA ).
CQI is a defined quality management process that focuses on can increase departmental functionality , enhance employee and leadership development , and promote interdisciplinary quality . This process encourages all healthcare team members to continuously ask the questions , ‘ How are we doing ?’ and ‘ Can we do better ?’ and addressing these questions effectively requires structured clinical and administrative data .
1 RCA provides insight into troublesome issues that cause delays in daily operations that ultimately affect service delivery and patient care . This analytical tool , if properly implemented , can identify solutions and strengthen accountability . Both of these process management tools can increase productivity and
www . healthcarehygienemagazine . com • november 2020
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