In endoscopy and sterile processing, we often run into the same issues. Training staff to do incredibly complex tasks, while they are under constant pressure to perform quickly. Stress often leads to mistakes, which then leads to hospital-acquired infections.What if there was a better way to perfor

Each SPD has problem areas of their own, but have you ever wondered how facilities across the country might look or perform? Our Healthmark Education team has been all over the United States and has that insight into how we are doing as an industry...the results aren't always pretty.In this episode,

Do you know what is inside your flexible scopes? Microbial surveillance can tell you exactly what is living inside your scopes, but how can we implement that kind of program? Dr. Mary Ann Drosnock joins the podcast to share how we can create these types of programs at our facilities and help further

After a LinkedIn post made by our host, Kevin Anderson, about the importance of testing bipolar forceps for insulation integrity, our guest, Rebecca Peplau, commented about a scenario featuring a specific brand of bipolar forceps and how the SPD technicians were potentially damaging the forceps, jus

Have you ever had fire start in your SPD or OR? Or have you heard of a patient being burned by electrosurgical equipment? If FDA reports are any indication, most of us have experienced at least one of these events at some point in our careers. So how does this happen in such a controlled and secure

In many processing departments too, much emphasis is placed purely on repetition as the means educating the staff. Unfortunately, this leaves many processing professional ill equipped to make good decisions when problems arise. In these moments, when critical thinking is required, staff members whos

Have you ever had a decontamination gown soak through to your scrubs? Have you been splashed from the back side at the sink? Listen in to this episode to learn more about PB70. Co-chairs Cheron Rojo & Jill Holdsworth will explain what PB70 is and how the Protective Barriers Committee is looking to k

You may be familiar with ST79 (steam sterilization) and ST91 (flexible endoscopes), but have you heard about ST98: Cleaning validation for healthcare products?AAMI veteran Ralph Basile guides through what the new guidelines state about how manufacturers should be testing their devices to ensure clea

Whether you're a veteran of flexible endoscope processing, or brand new to the field, this podcast series on ST91 is designed for you!In this episode with guest John Whelan, we discuss ST91 and the informative annexes at the back of the document. What do you do when the IFU’s for the scope don’t mat

Whether you're a veteran of flexible endoscope processing, or brand new to the field, this podcast series on ST91 is designed for you! In this episode, Dr. Mary Ann Drosnock takes us through the steps of flexible endoscope quality assurance. What steps are required? How often? And does staff need to

Whether you're a veteran of flexible endoscope processing, or brand new to the field, this podcast series on ST91 is designed for you!What do the new standards state about how you should be transporting your scopes? And are there new evidence-based recommendations about the type of storage system t

Whether you're a veteran of flexible endoscope processing, or brand new to the field, this podcast series on ST91 is designed for you!Why is pre-cleaning is no longer the terminology used when talking about what is done at the point-of-use? And what is a "Leak Tester Tester" (not a typo)? Find out

Whether you're a veteran of flexible endoscope processing, or brand new to the field, this podcast series on ST91 is designed for you!In this episode, Dr. Mary Ann Drosnock explains what "high-risk endoscopes" are within ST91, why the standards now recommend moving away from "manual disinfection" of

Whether you're a veteran of flexible endoscope processing, or brand new to the field, this podcast series on ST91 is designed for you! Dr. Mary Ann Drosnock introduces us to the newest AAMI standard for flexible endoscope processing, ST91. From the background and history of the standard, to what the

How is a sterile processing technician like a gladiator? Alisha Loy recaps her outstanding international webinar appearance detailing her journey as both a patient and parent through the healthcare system, and how she found her way in a department she had no idea even existed!

What is "Education Culture" in Sterile Processing and how can we create a culture of education in SPD? How do we maintain it? And more importantly, how do we get staff to buy in? In this episode of the Ask the Educator Podcast, Kevin and Adam speak to Rebecca Peplau from Maine Health to answer th

The pandemic certainly changed a lot in our world, but one thing it exposed for us in Central Service was the weaknesses in our supply chains and our ability to survive without our needed supplies. In this episode, guest Jamie Terran outlines the need for us to expand our supply chains and create r

In this episode, Kevin and Adam speak to Marjorie Wall and Joseph Avila, both Directors at Memorial Hermann Health System in Texas. Don't miss this essential talk on the importance of "psychological safety" in the sterile processing department, and how Marjorie and Joseph used it to create a multidi

In this episode, Jahan Azizi outlines the common safety hazards that we see in sterile processing departments each day, and the reasons behind why departments don't (or can't) prioritize the safety of its employees.

Do you ever wonder what consultants see when they go into hospitals across the country? Well, we can tell you from experience that it's not always pretty. In this episode of the Ask the Educator Podcast, Kevin Anderson is on the other side of the microphone for the first time as a guest on his own

In this episode, Kevin & Adam speak with Cheron Rojo, who will be recapping his most recent International Webinar presentation on insulation testing. Learn how Cheron's personal story inspired his research and what the data tells us about whether sterile processing professionals are following the st

In this episode of the Ask The Educator Podcast, we interview Etay Gafni about Layerjot's new project: the Surgical Instrument Database, or S.I.D. for short. What is SID? How can Sterile Processing Technicians utilize it to identify our surgical instrumentation?Don't miss this episode about an excit

Malinda Elammari and Kevin Anderson continue their discussion on common peel pouch problems that are found in SPD departments.#sterileprocessing #peelpouch #sterileprocessingtech #asktheeducatorpodcast

Malinda Elammari and host, Kevin Anderson discuss peel pouches and common issues with their seals.