"Any volunteers out there to have this CHIPPED needle holder used on YOUR surgery? Because it was used on someone's surgery, and was about to be used on someone else's before I grabbed it during an on-site assessment. 😱 When I catch things like this, the scariest part is that no one ever knows where the rest of that tungsten carbide jaw insert is. Where did the chip go? One thing we do know, the last time it was used was holding a needle in an open incision for someone's child, school teacher, grocery store clerk, or congressman. How do you think this chunk of metal behaves inside a wound?
Can we get even more real for a moment? Like the realest of reals?
I'd be willing to bet the farm that I could step into any Sterile Processing department in the country today (even my own back in 2017) and find CRACKED and CHIPPED needle holders in active circulation, sterilized, on the shelf, "patient-ready" for surgery. For some of you I may find only 1 or 2. Others, 30 or 40 critically compromised devices.
Why?
Well it ain't because we're not trying out there in Sterile Processing. And it's definitely not because we don't care.
Two of the first reasons that come to mind:
• Frontline technicians are not being given the TIME or TRAINING to adequately inspect every needle holder, every time -- particularly under magnification.
• Even with the time and training, most departments do not have appropriate TOOLS or TECHNOLOGY to hardwire needle holder safety up to the level our patients deserves.
It's a cold, hard truth. But it is the truth, nonetheless.
And unless more of us wave this red flag❗, we won't ever get the support we need to solve it.
What say you?"
-Hank Balch
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Can we get even more real for a moment? Like the realest of reals?
I'd be willing to bet the farm that I could step into any Sterile Processing department in the country today (even my own back in 2017) and find CRACKED and CHIPPED needle holders in active circulation, sterilized, on the shelf, "patient-ready" for surgery. For some of you I may find only 1 or 2. Others, 30 or 40 critically compromised devices.
Why?
Well it ain't because we're not trying out there in Sterile Processing. And it's definitely not because we don't care.
Two of the first reasons that come to mind:
• Frontline technicians are not being given the TIME or TRAINING to adequately inspect every needle holder, every time -- particularly under magnification.
• Even with the time and training, most departments do not have appropriate TOOLS or TECHNOLOGY to hardwire needle holder safety up to the level our patients deserves.
It's a cold, hard truth. But it is the truth, nonetheless.
And unless more of us wave this red flag❗, we won't ever get the support we need to solve it.
What say you?"
-Hank Balch
Follow us today:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BeyondCleanPodcast
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondclean
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeyondCleanInfo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondcleanpodcast
Home Page: http://beyondclean.net
Apple Music: http://apple.co/2xzxECU
Stitcher: https://lnkd.in/e4hU6Pp
Google Play: https://bit.ly/2LY5pss
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nbJRcJ