IAHCSMM IS NOW...


STERILE PROCESSING


pandemic has done for education, it has driven home the impor- tance of infection prevention.”


But not all continuing education courses/lessons are equal, cautions Thurmond.


“While more offerings are available, I am seeing some watered- down or especially brief content being offered for continuing education (CE) credits, which dilutes the value of education and diminishes the benefits for technicians. Patient safety and positive outcomes are our priorities, so it is important that SP profession- als avoid taking the easy way when seeking education and CEs and instead pursue education that furthers their knowledge and professional development,” he said.


January 1 officially marked the transition from the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) to the


Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA). The Association’s support and services will remain, and our new name will help improve understanding of the discipline and its relevance in


the healthcare community and the general public.


Safe patient care for every medical and healthcare procedure through sterile processing.


There has been a shift to more virtual education because of the pandemic, which is a double-edged sword, explains Berg: “Especially in light of the pandemic, we have seen more virtual education and training than ever before, which presents both positives and negatives. The positive it that it can be on-demand, occurring whenever the team has time; however, one of the nega- tives is we lose the human touch as well as the return demon- stration or hands-on learning that is so vital to our profession. I believe a good mix of both virtual and in-person education is the new future of education, and HSPA will continue offering both to meet the needs of our members, certification holders and others within the SP profession.” In his work with CSSPD departments across the U.S., Bonner has seen a greater focus on education, with more hospitals estab- lishing permanent educator positions.


“Education became a very strong focus in early 2020 when the pandemic hit and has remained a priority in many institutions,” said Bonner. “The need for CSSPD departments to expand their roles and take on new responsibilities such as the reprocessing of single-use devices has been one driver.” “Another driver is state funding to hospitals for investing in education during the pandemic,” he added. “California and Oregon have been leaders in this effort when it comes to sterile processing. For example, the University of California has hired permanent CSSPD educators, in addition to directors and managers, in its San Francisco, Irvine and Los Angeles medical centers.”


Department structures stable as roles change There has been little reported change in CSSPD reporting structure in the past year, with the following functions reporting directly to the CSSPD head in their facility: Sterile processing (97%), decontamination (93%), case carts (64%), medical equip- ment cleaning/disinfection (43%) and GI/endoscopy (30%). But COVID-1 has added new responsibilities and concerns related to the pandemic. When asked if they had implemented any new processes or procedures in their departments in light of the pandemic, survey respondents noted a number of changes. These include: •Processes and equipment to reprocess single use N5 masks, powered air purifying respirators (PAP) and controlled air- purifying respirators (CAP)


PROFESSIONALS INSTRUMENTAL TO PATIENT SAFETY


www.myhspa.org


•ationing of supplies due to backordersshipping issues •Mandatory COVID-1 screening, mask wearing and vaccination


•Limited time off due to staff-shortages •uidelines for decontaminating equipment used in COVID-1 positive cases “The biggest change I have seen is greater flexibility (changing shifts, hours, duties) due to the changing work and personal challenges and environment,” said Berg. “Our workflow has not changed but it has created more of a focus on getting back


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