Beyond Clean Podcast

On this week's episode, Bob discusses Sterile Processing professionals' impact on infections. Bob hops on his favorite soapbox to discuss how important it is that Sterile Processing departments have the resources they need and gives a call to action to start a #SterileProcessingRevolution.

Tune in for a game plan for excelling as an SPD Traveler AND a department who hires them: "When a new traveler arrives to begin a contract at your facility, don't forget these folks are not robots. They may be highly trained and highly experienced technicians, but they are still human beings. Their onboarding process may have to be accelerated, but it needs to be there, nonetheless...

On this episode of the Beyond Clean podcast, we dust off that library in your manager's office to take a look at a one particular document you may have never cracked open before - ANSI/AAMI ST58:2013 (Chemical Sterilization and High-Level Disinfection in Health Care Facilities). To help us with this little exploration into the pages of recommended practices, we invited Janet Prust, Director of Standards and Global Business Development at 3M Health Care.

Did you know that you don't have to be a "speaker" to present valuable information? Join Lindsay for today's #GrowthSpurt to learn about simple ways you can communicate process improvements and department successes without having to speak in front of an audience.

Tune in to learn about what a "triple-threat" Sterile Processing leader looks like and how to develop these important skills for your future: "Some of the best front-line technicians I've ever known excelled because they knew how important relationships were to doing their jobs well. Some of the best supervisors and managers I've seen were intentional about reaching out to other department leaders and collaborating on mutually beneficial projects...

One may be the "loneliest number" in the lyrics of the classic rock band Three Dog Night, but zero is the number Sterile Processing professionals love to see in their departments. In particular, zero is the ultimate goal for teams seeking to reduce their hospital's Immediate Use Steam Sterilization (IUSS) rate. On this episode of Season 9 of the Beyond Clean podcast, we sit down with Jason Pacino, CRCST, Sterile Processing Operations Manager at Highland Hospital of Rochester NY to discuss the topic.

How many of you have ever read a brushing IFU for one of your instruments and wondered to yourself, "Who spends 60 seconds actually doing nothing by brushing the distal tip of this device?" Out of all the steps that could be skipped or short-circuited during manual cleaning, brushing is the most likely offender. We see it on a regular basis during onsite assessments, and if you have spent any time in an Endo or SPD department, you have likely seen non-compliant brushing as well...

How to win over your surgeons to become advocates for your Sterile Processing team: "There are few better ways to set off a stressed out surgeon than to consistently fail him or her in the area of surgical instrumentation. Whether it's a set that's unsterile for her first case, a scope that is cloudy for the umpteenth time, or an untimely delay in delivering the additional needle holders he needs to replace the ones that aren't locking properly -- understandable frustration is sure to follow.

All for one and one for all isn't just a slogan for the growing number of centralized reprocessing centers in the United States. More and more Sterile Processing leaders and technicians are experiencing the pressures of growing surgical volume, limited space, and health systems looking for more standardization. On this premiere episode of Season 9 of Beyond Clean, we talk with Lori Ferrer about the growing trends of the centralization of Sterile Processing services in the US.

On this week's episode, Bob dives into the topic of finding answers (right or wrong) through social media groups. What are the critical things to consider when crowdsourcing information that you need to do your job? Tune in for more clinical education and training around #SterileProcessingSocialMedia.

Tune in for encouragement about knocking your next accreditation survey out of the park: "Every Sterile Processing department has a story. As a Sterile Processing leader it's up to you to teach this story to your technicians (both new and old). What are your particular department challenges and how are you overcoming them? Is your department located a quarter of a mile away from the OR or do you process instrumentation for outside facilities requiring tight logistical management and constant communication?

As the backbone of most SPD workflows steam sterilization is a massively important topic. And yet there are still pervasive misunderstandings across the industry regarding how and why our autoclaves should be tested, and just as importantly, when it is necessary to validate their performance. In addition to proper loading and use, a number of other aspects of care and maintenance go into ensuring these devices operate at maximum safety & efficiency. CE Credit -> https://www.beyondclean.net/ce-credit-hub

Laughter is the best medicine and brings with it a host of business benefits that can benefit your staff and your department. Join Lindsay for today's #GrowthSpurt to learn about simple ways you can ease the stress that comes with performing critical, life-saving tasks in Sterile Processing.

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in for insights on how to safely increase the speed of your Sterile Processing team: "If you are able to connect pictures with individual instruments in your tracking system, this can be a huge boost to speedy identification of items during the assembly stage. In addition to pictures, make sure you list the specific instrument manufacturer and catalog number of each instrument on the count sheet for easy verification by your techs.

Few materials in the world have come to define a Sterile Processing professional more than stainless steel. We are literally surrounded by it – our sinks are composed of it, our washers are encased by it, our assembly tables are covered with it, and yes – 99% of the tools of our trade are manufactured from it. CE Credit -> https://www.beyondclean.net/ce-credit-hub