sterile processing
By Tony Thurmond , CRCST , CIS , CHL , FCS
Infection Prevention , Patient Safety Hinge on Multi-Department Collaboration
Healthcare organizations and each of their departments aren ’ t successful because of a single idea or individual effort . In fact , the best results in terms of efficiency , efficacy and safety come from collaboration and ongoing interdisciplinary teamwork , with all members working toward a common goal of infection prevention and other positive outcomes .
Often departments – or even individuals within those departments – aim to complete tasks on their own — either failing to seek assistance from others due to a fear of relinquishing control or concerns of conveying inadequacy regarding the task at hand . Some may also avoid seeking input or help from others because they consider themselves the experts and don ’ t want others interfering with the way things are done . Whatever the reason , any actions that inhibit teamwork and collaboration can lead to negative outcomes for employees , their department , their customers and , of course , the patients on the receiving end of the services . Any sterile processing ( SP ) professionals who aren ’ t working collaboratively with others are missing out on opportunities for growth , improvement and long-term success .
Positive changes in sterile processing departments ( SPDs ) and other healthcare service areas often come from reaching out to an allied department ( or , in many cases , multiple departments ) and putting collective minds together to drive best results . Many departments can help the SPD reach its peak performance , including the following :
Surgical Services : Many collaborative opportunities await between the SPD and the operating room ( OR ), and those opportunities often lie within some of the common challenges that exist for each department . While those challenges can lead to finger pointing between the two departments , it is important to remember that all SD and OR employees are on the same team and seek the same outcomes : quality service , infection prevention and safe patient care . Designating a champion in the OR who will work with the SPD ( and assigning an SPD liaison to the OR ) is a great way to improve quality teamwork . When looking to improve point-of-use instrument care at a previous facility where I worked , I recruited the help
of an assistant manager in the OR . I shared examples of how instruments arrived in decontamination in disarray and explained how they were dangerous and difficult for our technicians to handle . I also showed photos of heavy items placed on top of delicate equipment and instruments and provided examples of soiled instruments with dried-on soil , which created a valuable teaching moment regarding the dangers of bioburden and how much more difficult it is to clean when allowed to dry and harden on devices . I then reminded them how point-of-use care is a practice recommended by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation ( AAMI ), the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses ( AORN ) and the Association of Surgical Technologists ( AST ); this provided documented proof of what is universally recommended and expected .
The outcome of these teaching moments was a collaborative effort to educate all OR staff to begin treating instruments at the point of use ( moistening soiled instruments with an approved spray prior to their being sent to the decontamination area ). We also began monitoring trays sent to decontamination and recorded in our instrument tracking system whether they were sprayed / properly moistened . Our compliance rate jumped from 15 percent to more than 64 percent in just over five months .
To further advance our commitment to collaboration , we invited our SPD staff to witness a surgical procedure . This allowed our technicians to see firsthand how the instruments are used and how the OR team expects to receive the devices to provide safe and on-time patient care . One of our SPD technicians shared that the experience in the surgical suite helped her learn the importance of having the right instruments in the tray ( and all instruments arriving to the OR clean , sterile and well-functioning ).
Infection Prevention : SP professionals must understand that most IPs are eager to learn as much as they can from those in the SPD . It ’ s also worth noting that accreditation organizations will look to IPs to ensure they have a full understanding of the facility ’ s sterilization practices . SP professionals should ask IPs to come and work with or observe in the department for a day or
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Often departments – or even individuals within those departments – aim to complete tasks on their own — either failing to seek assistance from others due to a fear of relinquishing control or concerns of conveying inadequacy regarding the task at hand .
www . healthcarehygienemagazine . com • october 2021
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