AORN nurses participate in medical device reprocessing summit

Ramona Conner, MSN, RN, CNOR, AORN manager of standards and recommended practices, and Sharon Van Wicklin, MSN, RN, CNOR/CRNFA, CPSN, PLNC, AORN perioperative Nursing Specialist, attended the AAMI/FDA Summit, Medical Device Reprocessing: Reducing Hospital Related Infections and Readmissions, in Silver Spring, Maryland on October 11th and 12th. At the Summit, Conner and Van Wicklin provided input relative to best practices for, and factors affecting the processing and reprocessing of reusable medical devices. Conner also sat on the panel Competency Requirements for Reprocessing Staff, which identified current challenges and barriers to implementing core competency requirements in settings such as hospitals, private practice outpatient offices, and ambulatory surgery and endoscopy centers where medical devices are reprocessed. In addition, the panel discussed the need for core competency criteria such as experience, education and physical ability.

Read more about the summit in the December issue of AORN Connections here.