Operating Room Instrument Sterilization Mistakes
A safe operating environment is the right of all patients. As a healthcare professional, you play the most critical role in providing this level of care. Operating room sterilization is how this goal is achieved. While a standard practice, there are a number of facilities that make regular and dangerous mistakes. Make sure you aren't committing a mistake that puts the safety of your patients at risk.
Poor Instrument Transporting
Proper transport of operating room instruments is just as important as the actual sterilization process. A frequent mistake made is failing to protect instruments while transporting them. An example of this would be placing an already sterilized instrument on an exposed tray.
During even a short trip, the instrument can come in contact with a number of dangerous elements. Even if the instrument will be re-cleaned once inside the operating room, this is not a good practice. A safer method would be to transport the instrument in a protective sleeve or within a presoak solution during transport to protect from contamination.
Relying Solely On Flashing
In a fast-paced environment, sterilizing instruments as quickly as possible is of great value. Flashing is often thought to meet this need. With flashing, a high-powered steam application is applied to the instrument to sterilize and remove the risk of infection. Compared to other techniques, this process is completed in a shorter amount of time.
While flashing isn't a complete failure, it's also not the most effective method as it generally does not remove all the contaminants on an instrument. If your facility utilizes this method, it's important to follow up with an additional sterilization technique for the safest results. Never use this method solely.
Failing To Maintain Equipment
Regular maintenance of your sterilization equipment is critical to the goal. When the equipment is not operating efficiently, the sterilization process will also not be efficient. It's important to follow any manufacturer guidelines as they pertain to maintenance.
Most equipment will come along with a detailed listing of its maintenance needs as well as a timeline by which this should be performed. It is also important to perform regular inspections of your equipment to check for any signs of a problem. Remember, regular maintenance today can help avoid a number of safety issues in the future.
You can improve the level of care provided by your facility to your patients by taking a greater focus on sterilization methods.
For more information, contact professionals like Heartland Medical Specialties Inc.
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