Sterile Processing

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today®’s highlights for the week ending December 10, 2023.

Handheld equipment plays a vital role in providing care at health facilities. Proper training, equipment, and procedures are imperative to guarantee safe cleaning and disinfection following use.

Mass General Brigham and Salem Hospital face a class action lawsuit over potential hepatitis and HIV exposure to hundreds of patients. The lawsuit alleges negligence and emotional distress, with the hospital claiming a minimal infection risk.

Staying Ahead With Company Updates and Product Innovations. This week's news is from Moderna, CBIC, Helocyte, Pfizer, UVDI, and CloroxPro.

A recent American Journal of Infection Control study, led by Katharine Hoffman, MPH, CIC, LSSGB, and Lisa Waldowski, DNP, RN, CIC, applies Lean Six Sigma to improve eye device reprocessing. The research highlights the challenges, emphasizes adherence to manufacturer instructions, and promotes best practices for patient safety.

Infection preventionists (IP) can come from many different backgrounds. This is 1 opinion from 1 very successful IP who doesn't have an RN or a BSN and the bullying that sometimes occurs.

Connecting and networking with colleagues, finding the right resources, and joining key organizations can help you become a better infection preventionist.

When constructing a health care facility of any size, it is crucial to seek the advice and expertise of an infection preventionist. This article provides guidance on how to do so effectively.

Mold, a menacing presence that can grow within the walls of your facility, may be lurking and waiting to cause problems. Are you equipped to deal with it?

Neal Buchalter, MBA, president of Parker Laboratories, spoke with Infection Control Today® in an exclusive interview about the product, the companies involved, and how it came to the US market.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the infection prevention field had to think outside the box they were used to. The Navajo Nation was no different. Outside their box, they found UV-C robots.

The recent increase in drug-resistant strains of Candida auris, causing mortality at rates as high as 60%, raises questions regarding the spread of this pathogen as a health care-associated infection, cleaning/disinfecting protocol, and treatment via antifungal drugs.

SSI surveillance tracks infections that occur after surgery in the area where it was performed. How can facilities help prevent these infections?

What is the CDC's Antimicrobial Resistance Funding map? A key opinion leader explains.

What are the recommendations for storing endoscopes clean, safe, and intact?

A recent study published in the Journal of Hepatology aimed to determine the likelihood of parenterally transmitted hepatitis after invasive medical procedures in Italy.

Off-site sterilization frees up hospital space for patient care, improving hospital return on investment. This article explains why and how to go about setting up the service.

Infection preventionists come from many different backgrounds. However, many left the field during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will require creative methods to preserve existing IP staff and educate those entering the field.

Accurate device information and proper sterilization or disinfection are crucial to ensure safety during ultrasound procedures.

Improper handling of insulated instruments can lead to serious complications, including fatal surgical site infections for patients and staff.

Sterilization in hospitals often lacks coordination with other departments, which may hinder knowledge exchange and performance. What can be done to overcome this challenge?

ANSI/AAMI Protective Barriers 70 (PB70) has been updated. A presentation at the annual HSPA conferences explained the changes, and ICT spoke to the presenters. Listen to the interview!

A veteran in the sterile processing field, Sharon Greene-Golden gave several presentations at the HSPA Annual Conference. She spoke to ICT about them.

Infection Control Today finds out what the update to AAMI TIR34, “Water for the reprocessing of medical devices,” says.

A unique poster at the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association Conference presents how to prepare and perform sterile manual processing for delicate and sharp instruments.