Michael

How to Host a Sterile Processing Olympics: Leadership Field Guide

There are few words that instill a greater sense of epic-ness in the hearts and minds of most people than the word “Olympics.” Even if you’re not the kind of person who TiVos every second of Curling at the Winter Olympics, there’s something undeniably exciting about watching the world’s best athletes battle against each other for…

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“Well, I Didn’t See That One Coming”​: 5 Secrets to Dealing With Surprise Resignations in Your SPD

Ouch!  When one of your team members walks out of your office after tendering their resignation, one thought probably comes to mind  . . . “Ouch, that hurt.” But the time for self-pity is short lived. Although some resignations carry with them the sting of personal defeat, others are tinged with bitter-sweet excitement for a new opportunity…

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The Case for “Product Advocacy” in the Sterile Processing Universe: Why We Need Each Other

In 1966, the indomitable genius of Walt Disney forever seared the words of a catchy folk tune into a nation’s imagination. The phrase was simple, yet profoundly in tune with human experience. Brotherhood of man, world peace, nationality, locality — all rolled up into six words and one water-themed amusement park ride. . . “It’s A Small…

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Five Recruiting Pools You Didn’t Know Existed: How to Find Aces for Your SPD Places

Finding the right people for the job is 90% of the battle for Sterile Processing excellence. Sure, you need to have adequate training, smooth processes, and a common goal — but if you have all that without great people, well, we all know what that looks like. And it’s not pretty. But where do you go…

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Getting Over Decontam Oversights: How to Help Your CS/SPD Team Never Miss a Microbe

One unseen Fogarty insert that makes its way back to the OR can cost your facility upwards of $10K if it is discovered on the sterile field, not to mention the unthinkable possibility of the instrument being reused on an unknowing patient. I need not even mention the danger lurking in poorly processed Ortho shavers, Andrews…

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Happy, High Performers: A Beginner’s Guide to Culture Satisfaction Surveys in Sterile Processing

(A few years ago, my SPD department in Louisville Kentucky had the highest performance cultural assessment scores of any department in an entire health system of 17+ hospitals. Here are a few concepts that worked for us…) If you work in a hospital of any size you are probably familiar with the idea of an annual facility culture…

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The Great Pity of the Sterile Processing Pizza Party: Recognition Drowned in Marinara Sauce

I’ve got nothing against pizza. Believe me. I’d push a grandma out of the way if she were holding up the line for some buffalo ranch chicken pizza. So trust me when I say, this is not some kind of veiled attack against a menu choice. Instead, it’s a frontal assault against lazy leadership, uncreative…

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The Truth About CEUs: Why Your Sterile Processing Team Deserves More…Education

Before there is an insurrection from the accreditation wing of the Sterile Processing world, let me just come out and offer a disclaimer right here at the outset — I support continuing education credits. I think they give our industry, in particular, a helpful dose of standardization and incentive for growth in knowledge and professional expertise….

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I Will Cut You: 4 Decontamination Safety Concerns Your OR/SPD Teams Can No Longer Ignore

There are few more dangerous places to work in our nation’s hospitals than the decontamination room of a Central Sterile department. The opportunity for bloodborne pathogen exposure is ever-present, and yet many CS/SPD technicians are daily put at risk of injury by unsafe post-operative instrument preparations. Let’s take a look at the four most common dangers and how…

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Modern Day Microbial Dragon Slayers: Why SPD Leaders Must Tell The Sterile Processing Story

“Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” -GK Chesterton When it comes to story-telling, some of us in the healthcare profession pretend that such activity is the purview of kindergarten teachers and grandpas, but definitely not our job. Maybe the marketing department can handle it,…

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