CS CONNECTION
accountable for not following the policy.
Sharon Reinhard, Market- ing Director for Haemo-Sol International, points out how use of specially formulated detergents is an important part of the decontamination and disinfection process, particularly when tackling soiled instruments that are left to sit after use.
HAEMO-SOL Enzyme Active (E.A.)
“Sometimes instruments are not cleaned immediately after use; the debris becomes dried and hard, making the job of decon- taminating difficult. In this case, soaking in an enzymatic detergent allows enzymes to break down and release the bond of the biofilm and debris, allowing for easy removal,” said Reinhard. “Taking the time to soak, scrub and rinse may seem like an extra step, but this is not the place to cut corners. Investing the time to clean with detergents will ensure thorough decon- tamination and sterilization, as well as protect costly instruments.”
The decontamination area itself In its Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, the Centers for Disease Control and Preven- tion (CDC) recommend physical barriers separate the decontamination area from the other sections to contain contami- nation on used items, and the airflow pattern contain contaminates within the decontamination area and minimize the flow of contaminates to the clean areas.4 In reality, many CS/SPD professionals are performing decontamination in less than ideal conditions using inadequate equipment. Cambise explains how inad- equate space and/or equipment creates bottlenecks in the process. When a CS/ SPD does not have the capacity to process the OR’s volume of instruments, backlogs occur in decontamination as dirty instru- ments await sink, ultrasonic or washer space. “The decontamination space needs to be large enough to support the work that is done on a daily basis,” said Cambise. “Overall the space needs to be large enough to keep cleaning tasks separate from the sorting activities and the person- al protective equipment (PPE) area. The space itself should be conducive to LEAN practices that help prevent bottlenecks.” At the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC), recent CS/SPD improve-
ments have been driven by leader- ship to best meet the demands of new technology and a focus on qual- ity, explains Courtney Mace Davis, MBA, the health system’s Manager of Central Sterilizing Services. In addition to standardizing and op- timizing workflows, UI Hospitals and Clinics has made short-term physical improvements to its CS/ SPD department (e.g., lights,
paint, height-adjustable work stations, computers installed at every work station) with the goal of completely remodeling the department within the next three years. “The industry as a whole is struggling with inadequate resources for several reasons,” said Davis. “In the past, sterile processing departments by nature have not received the credit for the incredible work they do. Admittedly, it is more ap- pealing to provide financial resources for
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