Sterile Processing

Sterile Processing Week runs from October 9 through 15. Julie Williamson, of the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association, explains why appreciation goes a long way with this vital group of hospital professionals.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending August 19.

Using an ultrasound transducer may look easy, but it is a highly specialized skill, and to use a transducer requires education, accountability, and competency checks to occur regularly.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending August 12.

Using ultrasound transducers is often necessary in the emergency department, but too often the proper procedures to protect against health care associated infections are not followed, and clinicians are worried.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending July 29.

The discrepancy between the regulatory bodies has caused a controversy creating an environment that is not conducive to discussions between practitioners and their suppliers.

This is the third in a series of articles based on ICT®'s exclusive interview with Oliver D. Kripfgans, PhD, FAIUM, about ultrasound transducer disinfection, and the consequences of using the incorrect type.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending July 22.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending July 15.

Improper standards complicate cleaning and disinfecting and can represent a wasteful use of resources, specifically when facilities also may lack access to high-level technology.

While a few ultrasound procedures suggest increased instances of patient infections due to low-level disinfection techniques, statistically, results from peer-reviewed studies do not confirm this idea.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending July 1.

Despite the initial reluctance for a urology team to work with infection preventionists, the collaboration is beneficial for both specialties.

If the policies are not consistently updated, they are “just a piece of paper shoved in a logbook that is not going to effectively improve reprocessing…of ultrasound probes,” said Lisa Waldowski, DNP, RN, CIC.

Eye devices often are not cleaned nor sterilized as they should be according to manufacturer’s instructions for use, which leads to poorer patient outcomes.

The infection preventionist’s role extends far beyond simply surveillance activities and into an integrated member of design and operations.

Infection preventionists and the equipment and cleansers they use gained a spotlight during the COVID-19 pandemic. These include both established and innovative materials.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending May 27.

A new comprehensive article lays out best practice guidelines for 14 areas of infection prevention and control.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending May 13.

Sterile processing of robotic surgery instruments and other complex instruments require complex methods.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending May 6.

The surface material and product damage caused by new advances in disinfection technology must be addressed for patient safety.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending April 29.