Manufacturer Validation of Cleaning Processes
How surgical devices are cleaned and decontaminated determines the efficacy of the sterilization process. For this to be effective, each item must be cleaned according to its instructions for use …
Mobile Instrument Repair
Keeping surgical instruments functioning properly and extending their useful life does not happen by accident. It requires focused effort from everyone who uses, handles and cares for the devices, including …
Process THIS! Episode 146: Sustainability and Shelf Life for Blue Wrap
Sterilization wrap is a science unto itself. Individuals, organizations and companies around the world constantly seek safer, more durable options for keeping our patients safe, while considering the ecological effects …
Process This! Episode 131: Consequences of Difficult-to-Clean Instruments
All surgical instruments take effort to render clean and sterile, but some instruments by their design are more difficult to clean than others. Narrow channels, long lumens and tight tolerances …
Process This! Episode 130: Tips for Loaned Tray Management
Managing loaned instrument sets presents difficulties for even the most organized Sterile Processing departments (SPDs). Hospitals and surgery centers with high procedural volume as well as those performing cutting-edge surgeries …
Process This! Episode 128: Demystifying IFU
Following manufacturers’ instructions for use (IFU) is among the most important responsibilities of the Sterile Processing (SP) team, and every item in our departments has an IFU—surgical instruments, processing equipment, …
Process This! Episode 122: Sterile Barrier Wrap
In episode 122, host Jon Wood speaks with members of the KiiP team about sterile barrier wrap, more commonly known as “blue wrap.” Karina Engels from Owens & Minor/Halyard, Amanda …
Process This! Episode 116: IFU From the Simple to the Complex
In episode 116, host Jon Wood speaks with Tami Heacock, System Director of Sterile Processing with Lee Health, about instructions for use (IFU) and the daily challenges faced in the …
Process This! Episode 110: Mentoring in a Sterile Processing Environment
In episode 110, host Jon Wood speaks with Jennifer Behlmann about mentoring in Sterile Processing. Behlman discusses the importance of passing on knowledge and experience to others through a deliberate process of “intentional mentorship.” She also …
Process This! Episode 109: Surprising Data on Sterile Processing Packaging
In episode 109, host Jon Wood speaks with Malinda Elammari, Clinical Education Specialist at Healthmark Industries, a Getinge company, about unexpected data on packaging in the SPD. Elammari reviews packaging …
Process This! Episode 108: Sterile Processing and Dental Instruments
In episode 108, host Jon Wood speaks with Julie Morrill and Karen Raposa, regional managers at HuFriedyGroup, aChicago-based dental supply and equipment company. Morrill and Raposa sink their teeth into infection prevention compliance associated …
Process This! Episode 105: Drying Medical Devices Before Sterilization: A Vital Step
In episode 105, host Jon Wood speaks with Ann Hewitt and Bob Straub from CENORIN about the critical importance of drying instruments prior to sterilization. More specifically, they discuss how …