Michael

Against the CC-Shotgun (and Other Email Etiquette Tips for Sterile Processing Professionals)

“Oops!” I knew I had really stepped in it this time. Early one Monday morning I received a call from an OR manager wanting to “talk” to me about a recent email I had sent. Only thing was, I knew I hadn’t sent her any recent emails. But as I waited for the elevator to…

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COVID-19 & HVAC Special Report

It appears that recent research into the COVID-19 virus has narrowed to that of “transmission by droplet”. That being said, droplets include different types, with those of a larger diameter (micron-size) which, after expulsion from an infectious individual may drop to the ground or surface by gravity to be “cleaned” or “removed” through surface disinfection….

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The Case for Single-Use Instruments – Kathy Mazza

Since each healthcare facility is different, there is a time and place for reusable and single-use instrumentation that may differ from one hospital or clinic to another. On this week’s re-released throwback episode from Season 2, we talk with Kathy…

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Mold in the Healthcare Environment: Keeping Patients and Staff Safe – Part 3

It should go without saying that vulnerable, high-risk or immunocompromised patients must breathe the cleanest air possible, air which has been treated to remove microorganisms that can contribute to HAIs or SSIs within the healthcare environment. This month’s post will begin evaluating some of the various strategies that help remediate the issue of mold growth…

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Don Tumminelli: The Unknown World of Medical Device Validation

There are many questions and often a critical level of misunderstanding about medical device validation so on this re-released throwback episode from Season 2, we went right to the source and interviewed validation expert Don Tumminelli, Senior…

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90 Days of Sterile Processing Glory: Taking Dominion of SPD Onboarding

“How long does it take to train an SPD instrument technician?” I always have to hold back a laugh when hospital administrators ask that question. It’s like asking how long it takes to train a Hollywood stunt man — honestly, the longer the better, for all parties involved. Stunt work is dangerous. It may look…

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Are Screw Caddies Safe? Taking a Closer Look at Reprocessing Surgical Implants – Terry McAuley

It’s the end of your shift, you’ve inspected and prepared what felt like thousands of tiny screws in an orthopedic tray. You grab the caddy, stand up, catch your foot on the anti-fatigue mat and the moment every tech dreads happens to you – the screw…

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Know Thyself: 3 Reasons Why Self-Awareness is the Holy Grail of Sterile Processing Career Growth

Career growth does not happen in a vacuum. It happens in the midst of people — a large group of opinionated people. And since these opinions become the foundation of your professional reputation, it behooves you to be very aware of what those opinions are and whether or not they line up with your opinion of yourself….

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When Tools and Training Are Out of Reach: Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust-Christina Fast

In 2011, Christina Fast, an internationally certified Sterile Processing Educator, volunteered on the Africa Mercy—the world’s largest floating hospital. While docked in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Christina visited the sterile processing department…

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Mold in the Healthcare Environment: Keeping Patients Safe – Part 2

Last month I touched on the topic of mold within the built healthcare environment. But what about mold in the harder to see-or-reach spaces of the hospital, such as deep in the recesses of the buildings HVAC system? Mold requires 4 basic things to proliferate, including food, oxygen, temperatures between 40-100 degrees, and moisture. All…

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