Scientists, engineers, and manufacturers across the globe are racing to find answers to the challenges facing endoscope reprocessing in the 21st century. But are there differences in how these issues are being addressed depending on which country is making the standards? How have various infectious

In a perfect world, vendors and manufacturers would consult with both Sterile Processing and Operating Room professionals as they build their products. This would ensure that any products put in place would help solve the chaotic nature of these departments rather than add to it. What if you were to

By nature of working in healthcare, experiencing a crisis in some form is inevitable. When you're called to lead, there are a few things to consider. Join Lindsay for today's #GrowthSpurt to learn about ways you can communicate through times of crisis and exemplify true leadership. Have a question o

Few topics are as debated in Sterile Processing circles today as the topic of "event related sterility" and packaging shelf life. If packaging has a shelf life listed in the IFU, do you have to follow it -- or can hospitals decide to do their own thing? Does an extended period of storage constitute

There are three different instructions for use that need to be considered when preparing a medical device for sterilization: the sterilizer, the medical device itself, and the packaging system. The FDA requires that medical devices be tested in just one type of packaging system and on this week’s re

How do you respond to hospital administrators or surgical leaders who brush aside your Sterile Processing requests or recommendations because your facility has "low surgical site infection (SSI) rates"? Is this a helpful measurement when department leaders are still voicing equipment, staffing, and

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in for leadership insights on handling annual reviews in your Sterile Processing department: "As with everything else you do as a leader, you are always teaching with your actions. You are either teaching your team that you believe in them and want them to

Sterile Processing technicians have been on the frontlines of the fight against viruses long before anyone ever heard of COVID-19. In fact, there are many types of dangerous viruses that our teams can and do encounter on a daily basis, and our departments have to be prepared to kill them all. On thi

When someone asks if storage is an issue for your Sterile Processing department, what is your first response…to roll your eyes perhaps? But what if looking up…is the ticket? Let’s face it, the need for space in Sterile Processing is an issue for many healthcare facilities and the implications of not

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. Have a q

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, 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,

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

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. Have a question or comment for Linds

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, 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

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

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 lik

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in for ideas on 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 se

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 stan

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 #SterileProcessingSocialMed

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, 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 pa

As the backbone of most Sterile Processing workflows around the globe, 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 v

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. Have a

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 st

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 manufactur