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STERILE PROCESSING INSIGHTS
Airfl ow tissue trick, double peel pouching technique
by Stephen Kovach
sue up to a vent. Can you explain why they were doing this?
Q A
Before calling the Facilities depart- ment, many seasoned managers employ the use of this simple tissue trick to testcheck air fl ow. utting a piece of tissue paper up by the vent indicates whether the vent type is sucking air in or blowing air out. his knowledge ensures the correct pressure and air fl ow are in those sections of your department.
Each area of the department has different requirements for airfl ow concerned with the department’s design. onsiderations are raffi c fl ow hysical space must have ne-way flow instruments dirty to clean.
taff clean to dirty. estricted access. imited entry and movement through- out space.
hysical barriers to prevent reverse fl ow and entry should be installed whenever possible.
he assembly or preppack area is a des- ignated clean. herefore, meticulous care must be taken to maintain that cleanliness. irfl ow in the clean area should always
be positive in relation to a the outside hallways, b decontamination area, c break rooms and other adjacent areas except for
I am new to the department, and I recently saw my manager take a tis-
the terile torage area. he purpose of posi- tive airfl ow is to ensure when doors open to the assembly area, air fl ows outward instead of into the work area. ositive airfl ow also reduces the risk of airborne bacteria being introduced into the area.
I work at two different facilities—one has double peel pouch, the other does not. Can you explain why?
Q A
First, double pouching refers to a technique where an item is placed in
one pouch, sealed, then packaged within another larger pouch. his practice should not be performed without written instruc- tions from the peel pouch manufacturer stating that this practice has been validated for the practice of double pouching. hus, my answer is, t depends, on the type of peel pouch being used and what is stated in the instructions for use concerning double pouching. n my eperience, have found that
a department may have issues with the peel pouch they were using. hey needed to double pouch because the peel pouch would tear, rip, or shear upon opening and presentation in the operating room , so double pouching was the answer. Here are some tips to consider for double pouching.
Things you can do: ncrease the durability or sterility mainte- nance of the package/maintain integrity of the peel pouch product o f your steriliation pouch is routinely tearing or ripping and that is the reason for double pouching, you may want to select a different pouch manufacturer or even packaging type e.g., teriliation Wrap.
o trength durability is found in the layers of fi lm more layers stronger.
o Weight of paper or in grams higher grams stronger.
heck the manufacturer’s when choosing to double pouch.
ome manufacturers will supply a chart to properly match up what pouches can be placed inside each other for correct double pouching practice.
earn if studies have been done to support use of double pouching.
nvestigate why you are double pouching some items for reasons other than aseptic presentation.
heck your history to determine if an inferior pouch that caused issues was used leading toward double pouching as a solution.
rain the staff on the proper opening in the correct direction of the peel pouch. ll peel pouches have a specifi c direction to be opened.
Pouch use: • Double pouching might be recommended when needed for aseptic presentation, though mostly used for sterile aseptic presentation in the .
he inner and outer pouch must be arranged by fi lm to fi lm paper to paper – plastic to plastic.
he inner pack shall not be folded. eal the inner pack as well as the outer. lways place the internal chemical process indicator inside the inner pouch before sealing it.
• Double pouching increases your cost; use it wisely. he why is not simple. istorically, as
pointed out, it can be, and in fact have seen, where a pouch that caused issues has not been used in a long time and a different peel pouch has been used—and nobody challenged the practice. lso, one facility may approve a peel pouch that allows double pouching, and another facility does not. ven with that said, double pouching is an acceptable practice if done correctly. o, remember, not all peel pouches are created the same so, choose wisely. o not make the decision based on cost because low cost
is not always the best choice. HPN Photos courtesy Stephan Kovach
hpnonline.com • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS • May 2022 31
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