HEALTHCARE


PURCHASING EWSN SELF-STUDY SERIES


May 2022 The self-study lesson on this central service topic was developed by STERIS. The lessons are admin- istered by Endeavor Healthcare Media.


Earn CEUs After careful study of the lesson, complete the examination at the end of this section. Mail the completed test and scoring fee to Healthcare Purchasing News for grading. We will notify you if you have a passing score of 70% or higher, and you will receive a certifi cate of completion within 30 days. Previous lessons are available at www.hpnonline.com.


Certifi cation The CBSPD (Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution) has pre-approved this in-service for one (1) contact hour for a period of fi ve (5) years from the date of original publication. Successful


completion of the lesson and post-test must be documented by facility management and those records maintained by the individual until recertifi cation is required. DO NOT SEND LESSON OR TEST TO CBSPD. For additional information regarding certifi cation, contact CBSPD - 148 Main Street, Suite C-1, Lebanon, NJ 08833 • www.cbspd.net.


by Chasity Seymour and Pamela Carter


Ugh! Another wet pack. What’s a technician to do?


I


t’s another busy day in the sterile pro- cessing department (SPD) with case carts coming down left and right and


the OR requesting immediate instrument set turnovers. The staff are working hard and keeping up with the demand, so far. Suddenly, the phone rings in SPD and the charge nurse says there’s a wet set in OR 5. They need a sterile set ASAP and want to know how this happened. You rush to the room and fi nd moisture inside a wrapped set needed for the procedure. With the case now delayed and everyone unhappy, you head back to the decontamination area with the set to begin reprocessing it, all the while asking yourself what you can do to prevent this in the future.


Defi ning wet packs


HSPA (Healthcare Sterile Processing Asso- ciation, https://myhspa.org) has pre-approved this in-service for 1.0 Continuing Education Credits for a period of three years, until April 4, 2025. The approval number for this lesson is STERIS-HPN 220404. For more information, direct any questions to Healthcare Purchasing News (941) 259-0832.


LEARNING OBJECTIVES


1. Defi ne a “wet pack” 2. Describe three categories of factors that contribute to wet packs


3. Discuss techniques and best practices to prevent wet packs


Sponsored by:


A wet pack is one of the most frustrating challenges we face as sterilization profes- sionals. According to the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumen- tation (AAMI) guidance document ST79: 2017, ANNEX O, packs are considered “wet” when moisture in the form of damp- ness, droplets, or puddles is found on or within a package after steam sterilization and the proper cooling period. External moisture would be visible immediately after the sterilization cycle and can be acted on immediately. How- ever, internal moisture is not seen until the pack is opened at the point of use, at the start of a procedure. Though both external and internal moisture have consequences, internal moisture has a greater impact on the patient. Why is moisture bad? The pack has just been sterilized, right? Unfortunately, moisture has the potential to provide a pathway for microorganisms to enter the just-sterilized package and contaminate it. If the moisture goes unnoticed, the resulting contaminated instruments cre- ate an opportunity for microorganisms to transfer to the patient during a procedure and potentially cause an infection.


26 May 2022 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS • hpnonline.com


Factors that contribute to wet packs


Wet packaging can indicate problems with a number of factors, such as package composition, loading procedures, sterilizer performance or operation, or the steam generation and distribution system. Many of the causes are directly related to sterile processing practices, so it’s vital that sterile processing technicians do everything they can to prevent moisture in a pack. The factors contributing to wet packs fall into three general categories: mechanical, operational (also referred to as clinical), and environmental. A review of the factors in each group can help a department identify specifi c issues they can address.


1. Mechanical factors


Mechanical factors include all aspects of steam sterilizer operation, the steam deliv- ery system, and the steam generator/boiler operation. Steam sterilization happens when steam at a high temperature touches a colder item in the sterilizer. Steam con- denses onto the colder item, transferring its heat to the item while at the same time turning into water. Items include the pack- ages being sterilized, carts and racks in the chamber, the sterilizer door, and the chamber walls.


When all mechanical systems are per- forming correctly, the condensate formed during the cycle drains from the chamber through the drain. If any condensate remains, it is re-vaporized at the end of the exposure period and is exhausted or evacuated from the chamber at the end of the cycle. When mechanical systems fail, too much condensate is made, or drainage is insuffi cient to allow full vaporiation of remaining water in the chamber and pack- ages, wet packs can happen.


Most mechanical systems are outside the responsibility of the sterile processing technician. However, there are several key maintenance activities performed by technicians that are critical for supporting

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