CS CONNECTION Sponsor ed b Sponsored byy
Sealed Sterilization Container
Sealed Sterilization Container
Sterility, utility, facility
Must-haves for storing sterile instruments by Kara Nadeau
Photo credit: h368k742 |
stock.adobe.com M
ost Central Service/Sterile Processing & Distribution (CS/ SPD) departments today must
contend with storage spaces designed and built decades ago, when the number and variety of surgical instruments was much lower. Even those that have updated stor- age areas and equipment over the years find their upgrades becoming obsolete as their surgical services and volume of procedures continuously grow. “There has been an increase in the number of instrument trays used per pro- cedure,” said Cory Ezell, North America Sales Director for Belintra, partnering with O&M HALYARD. “For instance, a procedure fi ve years ago may have only required three instrument trays. That same procedure today may require fi ve trays to accommodate specialized products, which would be an increase of 40%. The SPD may not have enough space to accommodate the increased number of trays.” Adequate storage space and equipment designed to protect the integrity of steril- ized items are important in many different ways. From a workfl ow perspective, the ability to easily fi nd what is needed for a case increases effi ciency in the CS/SPD and enables department professionals to support on-time procedure starts. “The lack of space is always a big chal- lenge for the SPD,” Ezell added. “We’ve seen hospitals go through construction of new operating room (OR) suites or remod- eling without thinking about the needs of sterile storage. Often the footprint of the SPD is reduced to the point that it cannot accommodate the number of sterilized trays needed to support the number of OR procedures being conducted.” Maintaining the sterility of items, through intact sterile wrap and/or prop- erly sealed containers, prevents the need for reprocessing, the risk for case delays,
and most importantly, the risk for contami- nation and subsequent patient infections. For example, the Hospital for Special
Surgery in New York was experiencing approximately 30-40 holes per day before implementing a new solution to protect wrapped trays, which reduced the number of holes to an average of fi ve per week (see full story in this article).
Then there are staff safety considerations
as well. Poorly stacked trays and contain- ers, the need to place heavy trays high up on shelves due to space constraints or having to bend down to pick weighty trays up off from lower shelves all put CS/SPD professionals at risk for injury. Ease of access makes it safer and easier for staff members to do their jobs. And with the critical role that the CS/SPD plays in patient care, healthcare facilities can’t risk losing their talent for any time period. In recognition of the importance of safe,
suffi cient and sustainable storage in the CS/SPD, healthcare facilities are investing in this area, and suppliers are delivering new innovations to support efficiency, safety and quality goals.
How Hospital for Special Surgery Supports the OR with Sterility Protection
The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the number one hospital in the nation for orthopedics for 12 years in a row. Its surgeons perform more than 32,000 surgical procedures annually, including more hip surgeries and knee replacements than any other hospital in the U.S. Orthopedic surgical trays are notori-
ously heavy, straining the barriers of sterile wrap. According to Richard Ortiz, CST, Senior Director, Central Sterile Processing
18 October 2021 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS •
hpnonline.com
Wrapped instrument sets protected by Cygnus Medical’s Tray Belts.
(CSP) and Durable Medical Equipment (DME) for HSS, holes in wraps were a “huge issue” for the hospital.
“It led to CSP needing to reprocess trays and delays in the OR. Sometimes the hospital did not have extra trays because they were loaner trays, and this delayed cases,” Ortiz explains. “We used corner guards and still do but most of the rips/ tears/holes are found in the spine of the tray, not the corners.”
With approximately 30-40 holes in wrapped trays per day, Ortiz and his team knew they had to take action. They imple- mented Tray Belts from Cygnus Medical, which provide a cushioned barrier from the many sharp edges that can easily rip and tear sterile wrapping. A CS/SPD staff member applies a belt to the tray after wrapping it, protecting it from the external damage that can occur during sterilization, storage and transport. “We now average fi ve holes per week.
So, it was a signifi cant difference,” said Ortiz. “We can rest easier with the use of
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
