Sterile processing is the cleaning, inspecting, disinfecting, and sterilization of surgical medical instruments and equipment. It’s a crucial process that’s critical to providing the highest quality and safest patient care. During the week of October 10-16, SpecialtyCare is honored to celebrate Sterile Processing Department Appreciation Week. We want to thank every sterile processing specialist for their commitment to patient safety and quality outcomes.
The Importance of Sterile Processing
Sterile processing is critical within healthcare facilities, but it often gets overlooked. With the healthcare industry constantly changing and medical practices becoming more complex, sterile processing departments (SPD) must have proper tools, functional equipment, and an educated and well-staffed team. Additionally, one instrument can require up to 17 steps to ensure sterile processing protocols are met. Ensuring the patient is safe before, during, and after surgery leads to quality outcomes.
How to Improve Your Sterile Processing Department
Many healthcare facilities face challenges with their sterile processing departments, including lack of education, extensive training, and adequate resources. Some devices can also be challenging to clean and sterilize due to their design and complexities. To ensure the highest level of patient safety and satisfaction, you should devote proper care, concern, and attention to your sterile processing department.
Everyone in the SPD has extensive knowledge and understanding of proper procedures. You should identify any competency gaps by engaging your staff members to see if they lack any knowledge on instruments or cleaning and sterilization procedures. Addressing any competency gaps will help improve efficiency.
Once you identify competency gaps, you should ensure that all staff members are adequately educated to provide a high-functioning and efficient SPD. Sterile processing significantly lacks adequate education and training, so educating and requiring your SPD to be certified is essential.
Seeking new staff members and outside support can also help improve your SPD. Sterile processing is a niche specialty and critical to patient health and safety and the overall operations of the healthcare facility. It’s essential to employ highly trained individuals that can carry out the necessary duties of the job. You can seek outside support from various organizations that can staff your operating room with these technicians.
Sterile Processing Consulting
SpecialtyCare would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all of the sterile processing departments that we work with. We appreciate their continued dedication to providing safe and high-quality patient care.
We’re committed to meeting the needs of your hospital and OR team by providing the safest, highest quality outcomes for patients, all while controlling and reducing costs. We improve value in the operating room by supporting the surgical team, increasing efficiency, and allowing them to focus on the procedure at hand. We’re committed to ongoing and advanced education, training, and certification to ensure that hospitals have exceptional service in sterile processing.
At SpecialtyCare, we understand that sterile processing is critical to the overall success of your hospital and every team member pulls a valuable role. Our expert consultants transform sterile processing departments with leading knowledge, speed, and accuracy to improve operational efficiency in your OR and sterile processing department.
About SpecialtyCare
SpecialtyCare is a people company, dedicated to providing an exceptional patient experience, becoming the OR employer of choice, and leading the way in OR innovation.