analysis, that no such opportunities exist.
The Sterile Processing Department
In the sterile processing department( SPD), IPs assess current sterilization practices, ensuring that medical instruments and equipment are properly cleaned, disinfected, and sterilized to prevent the spread of infections. They monitor compliance with safety protocols, conduct rounds to identify potential risks, and collaborate with staff to improve infection control practices. IPs are advised to partner with SPD leadership and staff to establish their institution’ s policies and procedures for sterilization practices. Together, they can then evaluate their current policies and compare them to best practices recommended by organizations such as the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation( AAMI), the Joint Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration( OSHA), and other appropriate regulatory and accreditation agencies.
Overall, IPs can help the healthcare institution ensure that in the SPD, the appropriate types of cleaning chemistries are available based upon water quality for manual and automated cleaning, as well as ensure that the equipment-- automated washers( ultrasonic cleaners, washer-disinfectors, cart washers), sterilizers( high temperature and / or low temperature)-- is available and functioning according to manufacturers’ specifications. IPs also look for implementation of thorough / effective hand hygiene measures as well as the availability of personal protective equipment( PPE) for use in cleaning, disinfecting and sterilization of medical devices when required. The overarching contribution by IPs in the SPD is ensuring that policies and procedures are followed, and updated based on clinical practice guidelines, such as AAMI standards.
IPs are advised to conduct rounding and risk assessment in the SPD, conducting what many experts call gap analyses of these practices and processes and then communicating their findings to stakeholders, but some IPs may have concerns about this very specialized area due to the complexity of sterilization processes and the potential for errors that could lead to infections. A lack of understanding or communication between the two departments can also contribute to these fears, as both play critical roles in patient safety.
Experts Offer Advice to Fight IPs’ Fears
Experts from both sides of those departments’ double doors share their insights on how IPs can overcome any lingering fears about communicating and collaborating with these departments, for shared success and improved patient outcomes.
Amber Wood, MSN, RN, CNOR, CIC, EBP-C, FAPIC, a senior perioperative practice specialist with the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses( AORN), addresses some of the most intimidating aspects of these departments for IPs.
“ Crossing the red line can feel like stepping into a high-speed choreography— masks and eye shields fog, alarms and beeps are constant, and you’ re instantly worried about where to stand, what you might contaminate, and whether someone will call you out,” Wood
says.“ That sensory overload can make even confident IPs go quiet. In sterile processing, the intimidation here is that IPs‘ know too much’ about biofilm, pathogens, aerosolization, droplets, and surface contamination, not to mention the chemical hazards, heat, noise, and hot, uncomfortable PPE. The environment can feel physically taxing and biologically risky, which makes it tempting not to stay long enough to really understand the work.”
“ The SPD can be loud with equipment running and phones ringing, busy with people moving carts and carrying trays, and just overall an intimidating area to enter,” comments Amy DeGraw, BSHA, CRCST, CHL, clinical educator for the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association( HSPA).“ When I was training IPs in the SPD, they were surprised by the sheer volume of instruments that came through and the number of times they were handled during the processing cycle. Seeing the detailed work that was required for each instrument and the time it took to produce a sterile package, it was eye-opening. I feel entering the SPD can be a humbling experience, where preconceived notions about the type and amount of work are quickly challenged, and people soon realize the advanced skills one needs to work there.”
Kia Parker, MACPR, CRCST, CER, CHL, a-IPC, CIC, an infection preventionist at the Department of Clinical Epidemiology at the James Comprehensive Cancer Center at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, cites the profuse number of instruments that can be intimidating to some.“ On my first day as a sterile processing technician, I was overwhelmed by the vast number of instruments. I thought I would never learn all these different instrument names,” she says.“ It can be daunting to any new person entering the department. Also, the manufacturer’ s instructions for use can, at times, be hard to decipher. Do you have access to the most up to date? How do you know if something has changed? Then there are all the different modalities( such as steam sterilization, low temperature sterilization- vaporized hydrogen peroxide, ethylene oxide sterilization). These are just to name a few.”
As David Taylor, MSN, RN, CNOR, executive healthcare consultant and principal of Resolute Advisory Group, LLC, explains,“ The OR and SPD can be intimidating to IPs because they combine high-acuity patient risk, rigid hierarchies, and deeply technical workflows that are often learned through apprenticeship rather than formal training. IPs may feel like outsiders in spaces where surgical authority dominates and where questioning long-standing practices can be interpreted as interference rather than support. The fear of exposing knowledge gaps, triggering conflict with surgeons, or being held responsible for problems they do not directly control may keep IPs at a cautious distance.”
One of the most intimidating aspects of the OR / SPD for IPs is the cultural hierarchy and power dynamics, according to Taylor.“ The OR is one of the most hierarchical environments in healthcare,” he says.“ Surgeons, anesthesia, and OR leadership often‘ own’ the space and its norms. IPs, especially those without perioperative backgrounds, can feel like guests who must earn access. Resistance is sometimes subtle, such
Our Experts:
Amber Wood
Amy DeGraw
David Taylor
Kia Parker
march-april 2026 • www. healthcarehygienemagazine. com •
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