Sterilization Packaging Guideline Updates for Perioperative Teams

Maintaining the sterility of surgical instruments is paramount to preventing infections and ensuring patient safety. AORN's updated guideline on packaging for sterilization provides crucial guidance for perioperative teams, addressing key concerns and promoting best practices for selecting, using, and maintaining packaging systems.

Addressing Critical Issues in Packaging for Sterilization

AORN periodically reviews and updates its guidelines to reflect current evidence and best practices. This update focuses on several critical areas:

• Packaging Defects:

  The guideline emphasizes the importance of minimizing packaging defects that can compromise sterility.

• Personnel Discomfort:

  Recognizing the ergonomic challenges faced by sterile processing professionals, the guideline addresses strategies to create a more comfortable and safe work environment.

• Quality of Pouches and Wraps:

  The guideline stresses the importance of inspecting single-use wraps and filters for defects before use.

• Streamlining Instrument Sets:

  The guideline encourages optimizing instrument sets to eliminate unnecessary instruments, streamlining processes, and potentially saving time and resources.

Stakeholder Collaboration: Packaging for Sterilization is a Team Effort

Developing comprehensive guidelines requires input from a variety of stakeholders. AORN collaborated with its Guidelines Advisory Board, liaison organizations, the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA), and infection prevention experts from APIC to ensure the guideline reflects the diverse perspectives and expertise within the field.

Packaging for Sterilization Guideline Changes and Enhancements:

The updated guideline includes several key changes and enhancements:

• Ergonomic Considerations:

  The guideline emphasizes creating an ergonomic work environment for sterile processing professionals, including comfortable work surface heights, adjustable seating, adequate space for assembling trays, proper lighting, noise reduction, and anti-fatigue mats.

• Inspection of Wraps and Filters:

  The guideline reinforces the importance of inspecting all single-use wraps and filters for defects before assembling instrument sets.

• Streamlining Instrument Sets:

  New recommendations encourage facilities to streamline instrument sets by identifying and removing infrequently used instruments. This can improve efficiency and reduce costs.

• Pouch Use and Technique:

  The guideline provides detailed recommendations for using peel pouches (paper/plastic), including proper sizing, sealing techniques, and inspection of seals for gaps, folds, bubbles, or wrinkles.

• Heat Sealer Maintenance:

  The guideline emphasizes the importance of using heat sealers according to the manufacturer's instructions, ensuring correct temperature settings for different materials, and maintaining equipment for optimal performance.

Implementing the Packaging for Sterilization Guideline: A Step-by-Step Approach

Effective implementation requires a systematic approach:

• Start Small: Begin by focusing on achievable changes that don't require significant external resources.
• Data Collection and Audits: Conduct audits of current packaging practices, including inspecting pouches and assessing the types of items being packaged. Collect data to identify areas for improvement.
• Team Coaching: Provide just-in-time coaching to sterile processing staff on proper packaging techniques and quality control measures.
• Listen to the Frontline: Engage sterile processing professionals in the implementation process. They often have valuable insights into process improvements and potential challenges.
• Resource Allocation: Work with facility leadership to secure the resources needed to address identified gaps, such as different sizes of pouches, rigid containers, or wrapped trays.

How Collaboration and Data can Help Packaging for Sterilization

Implementing changes can be challenging. Key strategies for success include:

• Early and Frequent Communication: Communicate changes to all affected staff members early and often.
• Interdisciplinary Teams: Form interdisciplinary teams that include sterile processing staff, perioperative nurses, surgeons, and other key stakeholders to ensure buy-in and collaboration.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Use data on instrument utilization to guide decisions about streamlining instrument sets. Track how often instruments are used and consider removing those used infrequently.
• Surgeon Champions: Engage surgeon champions to advocate for changes and ensure buy-in from their colleagues.

Impact on Patient Outcomes: Reducing Infection Risk

The updated guideline aims to improve patient outcomes by minimizing the risk of infection. By ensuring the integrity of sterile packaging, facilities can reduce the likelihood of contaminated instruments reaching the sterile field.

The Future of Packaging: Adapting to Innovation

The field of sterilization technology and packaging materials is constantly evolving. AORN remains committed to staying up to date on these advancements and updating the guideline as needed to ensure perioperative teams have access to the latest evidence-based recommendations.

The AORN Guideline for Packaging for Sterilization is available now in eGuidelines Plus and in the 2025 print guideline book and ebook. Access these valuable resources and empower your team to enhance patient safety through effective sterilization practices.