The Infection Control Today® sterile processing page provides an inside look into the sterile processing (or central supply) department in the hospital where surgical instruments are cleaned, sterilized, and reprocessed in order to disinfect, remove bioburden, and prep for upcoming procedures. Sterile processing applies to not only the knives, scalpels, scissors, forceps, and clamps used in surgery, but also instruments such as endoscopes and duodenoscopes. ICT® reports on the latest technology but also on the means to disinfect that technology. Also, the trend toward making more disposable surgical equipment. What does that mean for the sterile processing team?
July 21, 2020
Julie McKinney, PhD: “If you’re going to disinfect, you’re going to let it sit for three minutes and then you’re going to wipe it. If you’re going to sanitize, you only have to leave it for 30 seconds and then wipe.”
July 07, 2020
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved Lysol Disinfectant Spray to combat SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
April 14, 2020
April 02, 2020
The tool uses nodes, lettered A to O, that assess products in a way that spans labeling, marketing, and regulatory data, says the CDC. It provides a rigorous standardized method for review.
April 01, 2020
Although all patients require vigilant infection prevention measures and the goal should always be zero infections, the stakes are sometimes higher in the NICU, as infections there have higher potential for death.
February 28, 2020
Several manufacturers that are falsely marketing ozone gas or UV light-based products claiming to clean, disinfect or sanitize CPAP devices and accessories.
February 26, 2020
The agency has been pushing to make the LivaNova Heater-Cooler System 3T safer since 2015.
February 25, 2020
About 20% of passengers in an airport have clean hands. If that increases to 30%, a potential infectious disease would have a worldwide impact that is about 24% smaller.