Rose Seavey, RN, BSN, MBA, CNOR, CRCST, CSPDT

Speaker Profile

• President and CEO of Seavey Healthcare Consulting.
• Former director of sterile processing at the Children's Hospital of Denver.
• An expert on sterile processing who authored the book Sterile Processing In Healthcare Facilities: Preparing for Accreditation Surveys.

Just because instrument reprocessing is done frequently, doesn't mean it's done correctly. With new guidelines and technologies hitting the outpatient arena every day, it can be hard to keep proper practices straight and ensure you're compliant with the latest guidelines. Rose Seavey, RN, BSN, MBA, CNOR, CRCST, CSPDT, will discuss the challenges facilities face and share updates of the latest standards in her presentation, "Best Practices in Reprocessing Reusable Medical Devices."

• Moving targets. Many people aren't aware of the most current standards and recommended practices. They're almost moving targets these days. I want to make sure all facilities understand what those best practices are and the best ways to implement them.
• Common reprocessing errors. One of the biggest problems out there is a lack of competency and training for reprocessing techs. Sterilization failures can be tracked back to misinformation or lack of knowledge. Techs often don't know what they don't know, and historically we haven't put enough resources into educating them about proper sterile processing. It's also a matter of having the right information and people on hand. Facilities often get into trouble because they don't have the latest manufacturers' instructions for use, or they aren't following them carefully. There are also plenty of other issues, such as instruments that aren't maintained, evidence-based practices that aren't followed or other procedural missteps, like not tracing the instruments to the patient. A lot of times techs depend on leadership for resources, and the leadership might not know what exactly is needed.

• In the news. Proper cleaning and decontaminating processes have been in the headlines a lot recently following the deadly duodenoscope outbreaks. But it's not just duodenoscopes that can be a problem — special attention must also be paid to all gastrointestinal scopes, which can be tricky to clean. To keep patients safe, facilities need to make sure they have personnel who are trained and knowledgeable on how all flexible scopes need to be reprocessed, and ensure that their protocols are thorough and in accordance with standards and recommended guidelines.
• Decontamination starts in the OR. One aspect that's often overlooked is pre-cleaning in the OR, before the instruments head down to sterile processing. Instruments should be wiped down after use to remove bioburden and help prevent biofilm from forming. The instruments should also be disassembled and kept moist until they're covered and transported to sterile processing. By starting decontamination in the OR, you're making the process easier and more efficient for your techs.
• Keeping it all straight. One of the best ways to revamp your sterile processing department is to make sure you have an expert on hand, either in house or in a consulting role, who is familiar with instrument care and can keep up with the many changing guidelines and society recommendations. This expert should be knowledgeable about recommended practices and should help with implementing key strategies to improve sterile processing, such as educating and training staff.