Author: Megan Pietura

A Case Study for Copper

Posted on by Megan Pietura

In a recent Reprocessing Report post, we explored why and how copper has found its way into our hospitals. Copper’s organic ability to denature and kill, its cost effectiveness relative to other anti-bacterial solutions, and active, continuous process of killing pathogens provides compelling rationale for copper to supplement existing infection control practices.

 

The Centers for Health Design 2015 Study1

 Reduction of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs)

In a study performed by the Copper Development Association, Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences, and Medical University of South Carolina, copper-alloy surfaces were tested for their ability to kill various bacteria on high-touch surfaces. This was done in both laboratory and in hospital patient room settings. The study

further sought to understand if copper could reduce HAIs in the rooms in which it was used.

The study tested numerous bacteria against copper-alloy surfaces: methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), Escherichia coli (E.coli), clostridium difficile (C. difficile), influenza A, and norovirus.

The study found that the copper was able to reduce live bacteria on its surfaces by over 99.9% in laboratory testing. When testing copper for its ability to self-sanitize under wet and dry conditions, copper retained over a 99.9% reduction over the course of 84 tests.

A further demonstration to test if copper continued to perform over long periods of time, copper had over a 99.9% reduction in bacteria in 72 of 84 tests when determining its ability to provide continuous reduction of bacteria on its surface.

The clinical trial, conducted in the intensive care units (ICUs) of Memorial Sloan Ketting Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, and Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Administration Medical Center, aimed to duplicate these findings in the patient room. Areas such as bed rails, call buttons, tray tables, and IV poles were installed with copper-alloy components. In Phase 2 of the trial, weekly samples of bacteria were taken from rooms installed with the copper-alloy components, and those without. Over 21 months, the average reduction in microbial burden on copper-alloy components was 83% greater than non-copper surfaces.

The study wanted to go one step further: could copper be linked to a reduction in HAIs? The study noted that a copper-alloy application on 10% of high-touch surfaces can contribute to a 58% reduction of patient infections, demonstrating its high impact.

The 2015 study provides a couple provoking ideas:

  • Copper is successful in reducing microbial load against a wide range of bacteria in clinical settings.
  • Even in small doses, copper can significantly reduce microbial load. Targeted application can provide significant results.
  • Copper surfaces work to self-sanitize in a range of conditions, from wet to dry. Unlike other metals, copper’s anti-microbial properties did not lessen over the course of time.
  • Copper requires no change in human behavior to be effective, making implementation simple, and seamless relative to other disinfection procedures.

 

American Society for Microbiology (ASM) 2019 Study2

An additional study, published by the American Society of Microbiology, sought to replicate the impressive results seen in the patient room. In a study between control patient beds, mostly made of plastic, and interventional beds made of almost entirely copper-alloy surfaces, routine samples were taken of bacteria on various surface points and tested for contamination.

The study similarly found shocking results: the average microbial burden on the copper-alloy surface beds was 94% less than that of the plastic control beds. The study further found that over the course of the 11-month testing period, the copper-alloy surfaces maintained their bactericidal effectiveness. Daily cleaning with quaternary ammonium-based disinfectants did not impact the outcome of the copper-alloy surface’s anti-microbial properties.

 

Implications for Practice

Both studies found sustained, active results of reduced microbial load after deploying copper-alloy in high-touch environments. Further, both studies demonstrated surface disinfection practices didn’t have to be changed for copper to positively impact disinfection outcomes.

In its discussion points, the 2019 ASM study states, “The Joint Commission infection control standard (IC) 02.02.01 presently requires hospitals to reduce the risk of infections associated with medical equipment, devices, and supplies.2,3”

While more data could be provided to substantiate copper’s impact in other areas of the hospital, and copper’s role in fulfilling this TJC standard, the outlook is positive. It is exciting that a problem as pervasive as HAIs may be battled with a tool we’ve long understood and used. Not all challenges require complex innovations to solve.

 

Looking to see how copper can be implemented in another high-touch area of your department: your decontamination sink? Contact us to learn how Pure Processing is integrating the newest (and yet age-old tested!) technologies into our sterile processing & endoscopy spaces to reduce HAIs.

 

Work Cited

  1. Michels, H. T., Keevil, C. W., Salgado, C. D., & Schmidt, M. G. (2015, July 10). From laboratory research to a clinical trial: Copper alloy surfaces kill bacteria and reduce hospital-acquired infections. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4561453/
  2. Schmidt, M. G., Attaway, H. H., Fairey, S. E., Howard, J., Mohr, D., & Craig, S. G. (2019). Self-Disinfecting Copper Beds Sustain Terminal Cleaning and Disinfection Effects throughout Patient Care. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 86(1). https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.01886-19
  3. The Joint Commission. 5 September 2018. Accreditation and certification—4-1-1 on survey enhancements: new scoring revisions for IC.02.02.01 now in effect. The Joint Commission Online, Oak Brook, IL.

Common Problems in Reprocessing: A First-hand Perspective to Address Challenges

Posted on by Megan Pietura

-By Hannah Schroeder, BSHA, CRCST, CIS, CHL, CER, Clinical Education Specialist at Pure Processing

We have all been there: one issue unravels a slew of others until you find yourself spiraling and do not know which way is up or where to take the first step towards rectification. The decision paralysis sets in and it’s hard to break out of.

As leaders, it’s always important to ask the following questions:

  • What is the main goal we are aiming to accomplish?
  • What do we need to address to reach that goal?

Determining answers to these are the secret to identifying your next steps!

It sounds so simple when placed on paper, right? As a former reprocessing educator with a focus in both sterile processing and flexible endoscopy, I know first-hand that a long list of to-dos can be daunting. The two simple questions asked above hold the potential to become the catalyst for workgroups and committees of stakeholders that can come together to address the problem(s) you’re facing. That problem we all want fixed, we quickly realize is not such an easy fix, after all. Hours of research, planning and implementation are now committed to the process improvement plan set forth.

But as someone who has experienced the daunting task of addressing issues in reprocessing departments, I also understand the support that comes with workgroups and the importance of focused and careful planning that allows for successful prioritization and execution of process improvements.

In our 2023 GI State of the Industry Report, the following issues were identified as the Top 3 most common problems with scope reprocessing:

Furthermore, participants also offered insights into what they considered to be the easiest problem to solve. The top 3 were:

Many of the participants indicated that education and technology updates were both common and easy to fix, while compliance was added to the ranks as an easy to fix problem. Take heart! With a closer look you will often find that these “problems” are intricately connected and addressing one could improve another. For example, compliance and education can go hand in hand, while improved technology can also lead to improved compliance.

Though you may not have the chance to expand your reprocessing department now, and at one point, neither did I; I can share some ways to address these common problems with the resources available today.

 

Training & Compliance

We cannot comply with what we’re unaware of. That rings true for managers and technicians alike. Some practical ways I found to supply teams with information and education included sharing resources such as websites, blog posts and regulatory announcements, as well as, ensuring routine in-services were scheduled. This included refresher courses on equipment they used, as well as topics like quality and ergonomics with our safety departments.

In tandem with compiling and sharing educational resources, it is important to make education an expectation as well. Carving out time even just a couple of days a week, whether it be ten minutes at the start or end of their shift, or designated time during a staff meeting, education and training can be woven into even the most demanding of days.

The more interactive the education was, the better engagement I had with my team(s). An example of this included breaking down the ANSI/AAMI standards and presenting the content during staff meetings. With a single recommendation on the screen, I prompted the team to discuss how our department was currently compliant and explored the resources available enabling them to achieve that compliance. This also created opportunities for the team to discuss process improvement ideas.

 

Technology, Training & Compliance

Technology improvements can range from automated flushing devices to tracking system updates. Technology can automate processes, reduce human error, and improve department outcomes. Many tracking systems now provide options for including documents, alerts, and notes to remind the user about specific reprocessing steps, or new processes that have been added or updated.

Providing the ‘why’ behind updates and innovative technology, and how it enhances our ability to achieve compliance, provides the team with the contextual information that creates buy-in and engagement across the department.

To do this effectively, it was critical to stay up on guidelines and standards, as well as explore emerging products and technologies. Fostering relationships with ancillary departments and networking with other hospitals and manufacturing companies kept the conversation going and provided helpful insight that may not have otherwise been considered. Taking time to meet, observe and explore different options kept the creative wheels turning and kept our department aware of different capabilities and how we could effectively apply them.

 

Technology, Equipment & Space

When space is tight, the equipment and technology we bring into our reprocessing spaces matter. Additionally, the way equipment and tools were staged and configured had a significant impact on the space as well. Whether it’s high-density shelving or leaning out supplies that no longer serve a purpose, there are countless ways to optimize the space a department has to work with.

One other exercise that I used was streamlining processes and workflows to reduce overall foot traffic and ensure team members were not crossing paths and bumping into each other. Adjusting workflows does not always give back space, but it can change how the end user navigates and functions within the space provided.

 

Conclusion

Immerse yourself in the work and get a firsthand look at the processes and pain points being experienced daily helps you as a leader relate to your team and get the wheels of creativity spinning. Providing your own context to the data and ratings can guide your process improvement initiatives and you too will find that addressing one issue may just improve the outcomes of others. It is easy to become overwhelmed by the scope of a project, but understanding the influence each process has on the overall picture allows you to see that even the smallest change can lead to big outcomes!

Interested in learning more? Check out these space-related blog posts:

Workstation Disorganization: Problems and Opportunities

Elevate Your SPD Workspace

 

Author Profile

As Clinical Education Specialist at Pure Processing, I bring my passion and experience in sterile processing to the forefront. I began as a technician in 2017 and became an education coordinator after progressing through various, advancing roles. My expertise covers areas such as process improvement, recruitment, education, and construction project management. I strive to raise awareness and advocate for the needs and education of our professionals in the instrument reprocessing profession.
 My role as the Clinical Education Specialist is to provide support to both our internal teams and our valued customers. You can benefit from my support in several ways:
  • Courses with CE credits
  • Local chapter meeting presentations & workshops
  • Assistance with Pure Processing product purchase and deployment, for both your operational and capital purchases

Listening to GI Nurses & Technicians: 2023 GI Report Department Ratings and How to Improve Them

Posted on by Megan Pietura

The 2023 GI Nurse & Technician Report shined a light on the problems, trends, and opportunities that GI / gastroenterology reprocessing professionals are seeing. While awareness of these challenges is incredibly important, it’s what departments do with this knowledge that really matters.

In our Survey, GI nurses and technicians rated various aspects of their departments on a scale from 1-10, with one representing “poor” and ten meaning “excellent.”

Let’s explore the three lowest category ratings participants gave and how departments can go about improving them.

Ergonomics & Working Comfort – 6.2GelPro

Height-adjustable equipment is one of the first things people think of when it comes to improving ergonomics, but there’s more that departments can do in the short term.

  • Anti-fatigue mats are a great starting point. Cost effective and quick to implement, anti-fatigue mats are a great way to begin enhancing ergonomics for your team.
  • Flushing systems are replacing syringe flushing in departments across the country. Gone are the days of drawing water into a syringe and forcing it through yourSink insert 001 endoscopes. Automated flushing systems make flushing scopes much easier, while eliminating a painful repetitive motion that has the potential to lead to carpal tunnel complaints.
  • Sink inserts can remedy deep basin challenges and bring the working level at deep sinks into a more optimal range of motion. Keep your old sinks in the fight a little longer while you search for the next best solution.

 

Training & Education – 6.3

Training & education was top of mind for participants throughout the survey, and 6.3 is the second lowest rating in any category. Enhancing training and education doesn’t require an educator (although it certainly helps!)

  • Lean on vendors to get an abundance of free educational materials for your department. Some in-services may also be accredited.
  • Schedule regular training sessions based on the needs of your department to keep people up to date on IFU.
  • Get involved with local chapter activities. Find your local SGNA Regional Society, here.

 

Technology – 6.6

Technology investments are often associated with high costs, but they don’t always have to be.FlexiPump™ Independent Flushing System

  • Explore unused features of your tracking system and unlock technology or reporting you already have but aren’t utilizing.
  • Maximize what you have: reach out to vendors to see if there are upgraded versions of software, enhancements to existing technologies, or re-read IFU. There may be untapped features that aren’t in use that are in your GI department today.
  • Identify cost effective technology investments. Flushing systems are a great place to start that impact ergonomics, efficiency, effectiveness and more.

flexipump independent flushing system scope flushing

GI nurses and technicians shared what they thought about their gastroenterology departments; it’s time to listen! Deploying the strategies and methods discussed here can help departments make strides towards improving ergonomics, training, and technology implementation.

Interested in participating in the 2024 GI Nurse and Technician Survey and receiving the free report before it’s publicly published? Click here to make your voice heard!

The Power of Customization for Problem Solving

Posted on by Megan Pietura

Customization is defined as “the action of modifying something to suit a particular individual or task.” In sterile processing and GI / gastroenterology departments, there is no shortage of unique tasks that need to be accomplished each day. Between varying sizes, layouts, capabilities, and instruments, there’s a tremendous amount of opportunity to solve problems through customization.

Let’s explore some of the ways departments have leaned on custom solutions to solve their unique problems and achieve their goals.

 

The Challenge: Consolidating Wrapping During Assembly

The Custom Solution: Hybrid Ergonomic WorkStations

Many sterile processing departments are re-organizing their percentage of rigid containers versus wrapped trays. Adjusting this ratio can have impacts to an assembly department’s layout, workflow, and equipment needs.A technician working at a hybrid ergonomic workstation

For one facility in Colorado, this was exactly the case. As rigid container use climbed and wrapping decreased, the need to consolidate wrapping & blue wrap storage became a priority. Only one technician was required for wrapping during a shift. All other prep and pack tables were designed for rigid containers and peel packs only.

The other need? Integrated tracking software and visual inspection technology for IFU compliance at the same wrapping station. The table that did both those things? Nonexistent.

Enter the Hybrid Ergonomic Workstation. By integrating rungs to hang and store blue wrap, and a pegboard to integrate tracking systems and task lights, the team found the best of both worlds. A blue wrap rack was replaced with a functional station, additional electrical was integrated, a built-in light inspected wrap before use, and time spent gathering materials was reduced dramatically with a single station.

 

The Challenge: Three Basins and Staging Space for an Endoscope Reprocessing Sink

The Custom Solution: Staging Panels

When a GI / endoscopy department was pressed for space but looking for a three-basin decontamination sink option that could accommodate their endoscopes, they decided that a sink with turned basins would be the best way to achieve their goals. With three full sink basins on a 78” sink, staging space became a challenge.A reprocessing sink shelf that stores staging panels

To afford more counterspace within the limited area the decontamination sink occupied, stainless steel staging panels were added, along with an integrated housing for the panels below the skirt of the sink. This allowed a sink basin to be converted into counterspace when needed, while ensuring the staging panel was out of the way when all sink basins were in use.

The Challenge: Separating Clean and Dirty Solutions

The Custom Solution: In-basin solution tank

One facility, planning for a new endoscope reprocessing department, had an opportunity to enhance their processes and practices to better align with the (then) new ANSI/AAMI ST91: 2021 standards.

The department was putting particular emphasis on reducing any potential recontamination, even during the cleaning process. This would comply with the recommendation found in ANSI/AAMI ST91: 2021: 7.6-J “a fresh cleaning solution should be used” when addressing the use of automated flushing during the manual cleaning process.

The goal: flush fresh cleaning solution and rinse water through the endoscope without drawing from the decontamination sink where the scope was submerged. Prior to this project, the facility was using disposable basins that posed a splash risk and required some workarounds withinA stainless steel solution tank placed in a basin of a reprocessing sink. their set up to ensure compliance.

The solution is an in-basin reservoir! This customized reservoir allowed for reprocessing techs to fulfill the recommendation in AAMI ST91 without twisting, bending, maneuvering, or balancing to fill and use the reservoir to flush fresh cleaning solutions and final rinse water through the endoscope channels. Ergonomically, it reduced twist and pinch points for the staff. Functionally, it kept the manual cleaning process confined to the appropriate basin.

Plus it achieved even more! The same concept was applied to their rinse sink, achieving the same goals.

 

The Challenge: Accessibility for Sinks in Tight Installs

The Custom Solution: Hinged Pegboard

GI departments have many uses for pegboards. Just like their sterile processing counterparts, having tools and materials within arms reach is not only convenient, but it also streamlines workflows and promotes optimal ergonomics. One notable challenge faced in GI regarding pegboards, however, was an inability to clean behind them.A sterile processing technician bringing down a hinged pegboard on a reprocessing sink.

In many instances, sinks are placed in tight spaces, making it difficult to access the space behind them. Further, if sinks are hard-plumbed, moving them from their position requires a notable amount of effort to make happen. Enter: the hinged pegboard.

Hinged pegboards deliver the organizational and ergonomic benefits of standard pegboards, with the added capability to simply fold the pegboard forward to access the area behind it for cleaning. Another benefit derived from this design is the ability to change the accessories and equipment attached to the pegboard more easily. This allows departments to evolve the capabilities of the sink as the department’s needs change.

 

Conclusion

Reprocessing departments come across unique challenges while trying to achieve the same goals: adhere to standards, guidelines and IFUs, and keep patients safe. However, no two departments are the same, and it can be difficult to solve problems with “standard” equipment designed for facilities that may not resemble theirs.

Customization offers departments the ability to make their equipment work in the space they have available and meet their unique needs. SPD & GI departments come in all shapes and sizes. With customization, their equipment can, too.

Perspectives: The Traveling SPD Manager

Posted on by Megan Pietura

When Ivy Magruder chose to leave her HR career, she wasn’t sure what was next—but she knew she needed a change. After interviewing at a nearby hospital, earning a promotion to SPD manager within a year, navigating department changes, and starting a new company, Magruder has become a successful traveling SPD manager. Magruder’s love for problem solving has allowed her to help a myriad of departments since her career change.

Ivy Magruder, Traveling SPD Manager

Years of experience across various sterile processing departments have given Magruder valuable insights and a unique perspective on the sterile processing industry.

Magruder brings a unique perspective as a traveling SPD manager, sharing insightful experiences from the challenges she has witnessed and solved while leading departments across the country for six months at a time.

 

Bringing in a traveling manager

Magruder explained that while there are many reasons a hospital might bring in a traveling SPD manager, she generally experiences one of three scenarios when she signs a contract:

  1. A sterile processing department is without a manager, and they’re struggling to get applicants. The significant staffing shortages in recent years, along with the facility’s location, have increasingly caused low applicant rates.
  2. Similarly, when a department is stretched thin and can’t fill a manager role internally, it brings in travelers to serve as a stopgap, keeping the department operating efficiently while finding a permanent replacement.
  3. Departments can also hire traveling managers when they lack adequate management and need persistent problems solved until they find a full-time manager.

 

Common trends across sterile processing departments

After managing so many departments, Magruder identified some commonalities among them all, both positive and negative. Some common areas for improvement are usually:

  • Lack of training: Magruder has often found that many departments she comes into lack the training necessary to operate efficiently. Training becomes a top priority in her plans to improve these departments.
  • Breaking habits: There’s no replacement for experience, but Magruder has found that the most experienced techs have the toughest time breaking old habits in favor of new.
  • Quality concerns: Quality programs are not always as robust as they should, including regular audits and taking corrective action when a problem persists.
  • Policy problems: As Magruder explained: “What you do becomes your policy, regardless of what you’ve got written down.” Many departments have written policies that outline how processes should be done, but they are often not followed consistently enough to make a difference. Lack of enforcement can be a pervasive problem, and addressing it is critical to achieve compliance.

 

The sterile processing personality

While no group of people are universally the same, Magruder has found that people working in sterile processing often share some terrific traits:

  • Passion: Most people care about doing the right thing in their department. Whether it’s meticulously following an IFU, or instilling this passion in their teammates, SPD teams fully understand how their actions impact patient safety.
  • Problem solvers: When mistakes are made, Magruder has found that most people in sterile processing are interested in solving them together, asking questions like, “how was it missed?”, and “how can we avoid this problem in the future?”

 

Magruder had this to say about working in SPD:

“If you do not get warm fuzzy feelings when you work in SPD, then this is not the job for you. There’s no glory in SPD, no neon lights.”

Entering new departments

Many departments are similar, but no two departments are ever the same. Nonetheless, Magruder has certain steps she takes when she takes the helm of a new department:

  • Identify training gaps: With many departments exhibiting the need for additional training, Magruder looks to identify where training is needed accomplish this quality for compliance.
  • Assess tracking systems: If the department is using an instrument tracking system, she finds out everyone that has access to it and pares that number down to strictly necessary personnel. With too many people able to access the backend of a tracking system, problems are almost inevitable. Whether it’s misconfiguring a setting or duplicating instruments, unnecessary problems lead to unnecessary work resolving them.
  • Explain the plan: “Respect is earned, not demanded.” When Magruder enters a department, she explains what the game plan is going to be and lets the team know that it is a team effort.

“I’m here to get this department in compliance. Some changes will happen gradually over the course of six months. Other, more immediate changes are doing to be made tomorrow. We’re all in this together to make sure we’re keeping the patient safe.”

  • Understand productivity: Magruder assesses the department’s throughput and productivity levels. Establishing these data points help to determine where time, effort, and money needs to be applied for improvement. It also allows the department to see their improvement over time.
  • Analyze staff hours: Analyze how scheduling is currently handled and whether adequate staffing levels are being met for every shift. If you can’t get the right number of people working every shift, departments will start falling behind.
  • Make instrument purchases: Magruder investigates the most commonly used instruments and ensures that they have enough of them. Increasing instrument inventory gives SPD some breathing room on in-demand sets, allowing the OR to get what they need without demanding or perpetually creating rush requests.

 

Being a traveler

Magruder explained that it’s common for the presence of travelers to have a negative impact on morale when they enter a department. “Travelers make good money,” Magruder said, “they need to be earning it.”

The key to making a positive impact as a traveler in a new department according to Magruder is demonstrating you’re bringing value to the department and the team. “Travelers need to step up and show integrity at every level of sterile processing.”

Travelers need to be on top of standards, guidelines, and IFU requirements. This need is amplified because, in Magruder’s experience, many departments turning to travelers lack a dedicated educator, meaning travelers can bring valuable knowledge to departments that can’t commit additional resources to training and education.

 

Conclusion

Traveling SPD Managers are vital for departments that are struggling to fill these roles. They bring valuable insights, approaches, and problem-solving skills that help departments reach their goals and sustainably achieve compliance long after the traveler’s contract has expired.

Jumping from department to department, while not always easy, provides traveling SPD managers the ability to continually refine approaches to common problems and deliver better and better results for the departments they serve. Through on-going self-education, meticulous attention to detail, an ability to rally departments towards common goals, and sheer passion for the industry they serve, traveling SPD managers go the extra mile to keep patients safe all across the country.

 

Interested in other perspectives from SPD? Check out these other blog posts:

SPD Director

Educator

About: Perspectives

Perspectives is a series of articles written to present a deeper look into the unique profiles, experiences, and backgrounds in the sterile processing community. By evaluating our industry through the unique lenses of its people, we can better understand our impact on each other, our patients, and our communities. Thank you to those who offered their time to write these articles with us. We appreciate your time, and your commitment to your patients and staff!

The Three E’s of Injury Prevention in Instrument Reprocessing

Posted on by Megan Pietura

The 2023 SPD State of the Industry Report revealed that more than 47% of participants reported having been injured while on the job. Beyond the scope of sticks and strains, there are additional studies that show musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) can occur due to long-term, repetitive movements and strains that go uncorrected.

There are preventative measures that can be taken to reduce workplace injuries and increase health awareness in the workplace.

 

Evaluations: Review your workflow and audit practices routinely.

Routine evaluations provide accountability for both the process and the practice. It is important to audit equipment and workflows on a routine basis to ensure sterile processing departments (SPD) and Endoscopy departments are operating efficiently and safely. Workflows, equipment, and processes that worked in the past may no longer be suitable for safe work now. Evaluations may be needed for new equipment, renovations, and in response to an increase in reported injuries.

When running an evaluation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends identifying the following risk factors: “awkward postures, repetition, force, mechanical compression, vibration, temperature extremes, inadequate lighting and duration of exposure.”

Some practical evaluation exercises include:

  • Workflow mapping
  • Data analytics (productivity measurements, staff accident reporting, equipment down-time, quality reports)
  • Team interviews
  • Observation
  • Participation

 

Ergonomics: Know the impact of the labor requirements on GI or SPD technicians.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that a good ergonomics program “lessens muscle fatigue, increases productivity and reduces the number and severity of work-related MSDs.”

Ergonomics programs should be focused on fitting the job to the person. This can be applied when considering personal protective equipment (PPE), new reprocessing equipment, layout planning for construction projects, IT requirements, workstations, and ease of transportation of surgical instruments and endoscopes through decontamination to storage.

Providing ergonomic solutions may take a work group to assess, consider and execute. Consider including your infection prevention, safety, and facilities teams in project planning to ensure all perspectives are factored in to deliver ergonomically optimal solutions for your team.

 

Education: Know the benefits of ergonomics and wellness.

Knowledge is power when it comes to ergonomics and health awareness. To reap the full benefits of the ergonomics program established, the team needs to understand how to utilize it to its fullest extent. Topics of ergonomic wellness should include equipment operations, ergonomic features, appropriate body posture and muscle engagement (I.e., range of motion, stretching etc.). Education platforms can include demonstrations, in-services, and updated standard operating procedures, also called standard work.

When we make ergonomics part of the everyday discussion, we inform, enlighten, and bring awareness to our team’s well being.

 

Looking for solutions to remedy common ergonomics challenges, such as eye strain, muscle strain and other hazardous pain points? Our representatives can make recommendations for any department!

 

 

The SPD State of the Industry Survey is an annual, free, anonymous survey asking real sterile processing professionals across the country about their experiences, backgrounds, and challenges they face in their departments. We hope by providing access to free industry research and data, instrument reprocessing professionals can better grow, develop and improve their own departments through the experience of their peers. We are grateful for all the professionals who participate each year, and the contributions to their patients and facilities: thank you for all you do!

 

References:

https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/health-strategies/musculoskeletal-disorders/index.html

https://www.osha.gov/ergonomics

A High-Level Approach to Staffing and Retention Challenges in SPD

Posted on by Megan Pietura

Staffing & retention is a problem most sterile processing leaders are familiar with, and there’s no silver bullet to resolving it. In fact, approaching staffing & retention concerns from a single angle isn’t likely to deliver a lasting remedy. __–__So how can SPD leaders deliver lasting, meaningful changes to address staffing concerns? Listen to what sterile processing is saying about those challenges.

The 2023 SPD State of the Industry Report delivered many insights into what sterile processing professionals are saying, thinking, and experiencing, as well as what concerns they have about the industry. While you won’t find a staffing & retention silver bullet, insights from throughout the report provide valuable windows into where to look to keep great people for your department.

 

Where to look

Determining how people are finding their way into sterile processing jobs is a good first step to hyper-focusing your hiring efforts.

  • 43.27% found an open position without prior knowledge of SPD.
  • 28.65% were referred by a friend or colleague.
  • 14.62% moved from another department in the hospital/facility.
  • 13.45% pursued education at a university/college with the intent of starting a career in SPD.

So, what should be done with this information to help you find new teammates?

  • Get your open positions in front of people outside of the healthcare industry. Nearly half of the survey participants didn’t know anything about SPD before applying.
  • Spread the word! With more than a quarter of participants coming to SPD via referral, you and your team’s network might be the key to filling open roles with great people.
  • Leverage your relationships in the hospital. Almost 15% of participants came from a different department in the same hospital they were already employed. Your next teammate may already be in the building.
  • Conduct outreach to local high schools to raise awareness about careers in SPD. Couple this with visits to universities and colleges in the area with related programs and certifications to create a well-rounded approach to tapping the labor market in your area.

Tip: Many participants entered sterile processing from their time in the armed services. From military-dental careers, scrub techs, surgical technologists, and more in the both the US Army and Navy, veterans are finding their way to SPD. Use this information to narrow and tailor your search for new teammates. Websites specifically focused on recruiting members from the armed services are also available.

 

How to keep great teammates

Once you’ve brought great people into your team, it’s even more important to make sure they want to stick around. Here are some of the problems participants considered to be the most important to solve, and the positive impacts to retention:

*Pay and benefits has been omitted; it doesn’t take a report to know that competitive pay & benefits improve retention.

  • Update equipment: Antiquated equipment isn’t just inefficient; it can cause ergonomic challenges, create bottlenecks, and generally make sterile processing’s job more difficult, expediting burnout. Modern, updated equipment can make all the difference.
  • Focus on culture: Culture was a top concern that showed up many times throughout the survey. Having a great culture not only helps technicians grow but demonstrates appreciation, holds teammates accountable, and creates a healthy workplace. Request a free pad of Citations for Being Awesome to show your team appreciation!
  • Provide training & education: Give teammates the opportunity to grow and improve themselves through training and educational opportunities. This can range from training courses, to paid time to study for certifications, to getting them to local and national industry events, such as the HSPA Conference. Local conferences are another great, cheaper alternative to education and networking.

 

Recognize their value

Participants freely shared what they enjoy most about working in sterile processing. Putting an emphasis on and reinforcing these ideas can help your team feel fulfilled in their work:

  • Patient Safety/Care: Participants viewed their role in keeping patients safe as the most rewarding aspect of working in sterile processing. Despite not interacting with patients face-to-face, SPD technicians play a critical role in their safety and recovery during and after surgery.
  • Variety of work: There’s no shortage of things to do in a sterile processing department. Rotating teammates throughout the department not only helps develop a well-rounded team but keeps the work interesting on day-to-day basis.
  • Team: A strong sense of team and camaraderie was a rewarding part of many participants’ job. Taking time for team building and helping the team meld can fuel synergy and foster a supportive atmosphere that fuels accountability.
  • Learning: Participants indicated that a source of fulfillment in SPD is the opportunity to expand their knowledge of the job and continue learning. Affording opportunities to continue education and interact with various areas of the department will bolster enthusiasm.

 

Conclusion

There’s a lot to consider when taking on a staffing & retention challenge. From marketing opportunities, identifying candidates, improving the department, and keeping the team fulfilled, it’s not something that can be easily done overnight. Slowly implementing these factors over the months and years your department continues to grow can help them take root organically and create a department people want to be a part of.

 

Interested in digging into the full 2023 SPD State of the Industry Report? Download it for free!

 

Looking to get more information on some of the topics in this post? Check these out to get the ball rolling:

Sterile Processing Training and Education Best Practices

Identifying Educational Needs for Your Department

Solutions for the Top Ergonomic Issues in Reprocessing Departments

Appreciation – The Key to Retention

Establishing & Maintaining a Great Culture in Sterile Processing

Does Ergonomics Drive Employee Satisfaction in Instrument Processing?

 

The SPD State of the Industry Survey is an annual, free, anonymous survey asking real sterile processing professionals across the country about their experiences, backgrounds, and challenges they face in their departments. We hope by providing access to free industry research and data, instrument reprocessing professionals can better grow, develop and improve their own departments through the experience of their peers. We are grateful for all the professionals who participate each year, and the contributions to their patients and facilities: thank you for all you do!

Key Influences on Training & Education in SPD

Posted on by Megan Pietura

The 2023 SPD State of the Industry Report revealed that many people in sterile processing departments can have an influence on the outcomes of training & education efforts. These responses demonstrated that training & education can be influenced by people throughout, and outside of, a sterile processing department, and demonstrate the true potential for these programs.

 

Educators

39.84% of participants in the 2023 SPD State of the Industry Report pointed to their educator as having the most influence on training & education in their department. This comes as no surprise, as SPD educators are dedicated staff tasked with not only keeping up with industry trends, standards, and guidelines, but ensuring that the right information reaches the right people on their team; they need to wield considerable influence over training & education and are well-suited to do so.

 

Managers

Managers were the second most influential role related to training and education, with 28.13% of participants pointing to them. Training and education initiatives are often taken up by managers when a department doesn’t have a dedicated educator. However, it isn’t solely the lack of an educator that can lead to a manager’s influence on training and education; managers can use their position to advocate for more educational resources and help implement plans that educators have put together.

 

Supervisors

22.66% of participants cited their supervisors as having the biggest influence on training & education. Supervisors are in a unique position of working alongside their teams in the day-to-day operations. This allows supervisors to keep their finger on the pulse of the team and individuals alike, enabling them to readily identify training and education needs in the department, as well as provide hands-on training during a shift.

 

Directors

Directors were reported as having the most influence on training and education by 9.38% of participants. This comes as no surprise, as directors manage a broad range of responsibilities and activities to ensure the department has what it needs. While directors are unlikely to get into the weeds on training and education, they are in a unique position that allows them to help departments realize initiatives put forth by a manager or educator, giving them the ability to be incredibly influential regarding training and education.

 

Other influences on training and education in SPD

Participants of the 2023 SPD State of the Industry Report also identified other positions influencing training and education in a free response section. These included lead technicians, dedicated trainers, shift leads, materials supervisors, teammates/technicians, and nurses with SPD backgrounds. The variety of roles demonstrates that when members of a sterile processing team see a need for additional training and education, they step in fill the gaps.

 

Vendors

Participants noted the increasing role vendors are playing in training and education. Vendors not only provide updated, thorough information and resources regarding their products, they many also provide free educational tools such as videos, webinars, presentations, and more. The accessibility of vendors and their resources make them an appealing route for enhancing training and education.

 

Conclusion

Training and education is top-of-mind in departments, and sterile processing professionals at all levels are helping to influence it’s direction based on the unique needs of their departments. Meanwhile, vendors are providing valuable resources to help those SPD advocates achieve their goals and, ultimately, help keep patients safe.

 

Interested in digging into the full 2023 SPD State of the Industry Report? Download it for free!

Want to explore free CE programs? View all our free, CE programs, here!

 

The SPD State of the Industry Survey is an annual, free, anonymous survey asking real sterile processing professionals across the country about their experiences, backgrounds, and challenges they face in their departments. We hope by providing access to free industry research and data, instrument reprocessing professionals can better grow, develop and improve their own departments through the experience of their peers. We are grateful for all the professionals who participate each year, and the contributions to their patients and facilities: thank you for all you do!

The Future Challenges in SPD: Identified Trends from the 2023 SPD State of the Industry Report

Posted on by Megan Pietura

The 2023 SPD State of the Industry Report provided more than just a window into the current state of the industry, it also provided SPD professionals the opportunity to share the challenges they anticipate escalating in the near future. While many departments already relate to these challenges, others demonstrate that unique ones may be on the horizon.

Staffing & Retention

Staffing is an on-going challenge for departments and many respondents don’t anticipate that changing anytime soon. 74.63% indicated that they anticipate staffing & retention challenges to grow.

Compliance, Guidelines, and IFUs

Throughout the survey, participants noted that compliance issues are becoming increasingly difficult to tackle. 64.18% believe that compliance, guidelines, and IFUs will be among the challenges the face in the coming months.

Instrument Complexity

Compliance concerns likely stem from increasingly complex instrumentation design. 33.58% of participants believe that increased instrument complexity will come to the forefront of problems they’ll need to address.

Volume

32.84% believe that surgical volume will soon increase or continue to increase. This may be fueled by the increased implementation and expansion of robotic surgical programs which brings volume and complexity to reprocessing departments.

Technology

Many participants noted outdated equipment and tools and the negative consequences associated with antiquated infrastructure, with 25.37% of participants noting it as a growing concern.

Robotics Program Expansion

Robotic programs give hospitals and surgeons new tools for minimally invasive care, but SPD is often overlooked as this expansion occurs. 23.13% of participants cited the expansion of existing robotics programs as an upcoming challenge that they’ll need to solve.

 

Is your department already having trouble keeping up with robotic cases? A representative can help identify and remedy pinch points in your robotics workflow!

 

Other challenges

Other challenges were noted in free responses, highlighting some of the underlying concerns sterile processing professionals foresee becoming bigger issues moving forward.

  • Reliance on travelers: Unable to resolve staffing & retention issues, departments have begun leaning on the use of travelers more consistently.
  • Industry veterans leaving: As “lifers” exit the industry, so too does the knowledge they’ve acquired throughout their career in sterile processing. This knowledge gap can be difficult for understaffed departments to recoup.
  • Lack of experience among new technicians: As experienced people leave the industry, many are concerned about the experience level of those being hired to replace them.
  • Inability to modernize processes: Without updated tools and equipment, many processes within a sterile processing department can be stunted and sub-optimal.

 

Conclusion

There’s no shortage of evolving challenges sterile processing departments will be facing in the coming months and years. From staffing & retention generally, to concerns about industry veterans leaving and the experience level of those being hired to replace them, it’s clear that the people in SPD are the most critical assets in any department.

 

Interested in digging into the full 2023 SPD State of the Industry Report? Download it for free!

 

Want to explore one of these challenges more in-depth? Check out the following blog posts:

Staffing & Retention’s Impact on Productivity

The Impact of Changing Compliance Standards

The Recent Evolution of Surgical Devices

Top 5 Ways to Improve Sterile Processing Productivity

Departmental Problem Solving with Data

Robotics Implementation: Tips For Success From An SPD Educator

 

The SPD State of the Industry Survey is an annual, free, anonymous survey asking real sterile processing professionals across the country about their experiences, backgrounds, and challenges they face in their departments. We hope by providing access to free industry research and data, instrument reprocessing professionals can better grow, develop and improve their own departments through the experience of their peers. We are grateful for all the professionals who participate each year, and the contributions to their patients and facilities: thank you for all you do!