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STERILE PROCESSING INSIGHTS


and Demonstrate Competency, part 2 by Stephen M. Kovach


Q A


November’s article asked: “We just had a staff meeting and our manager told us that ‘Results from a recent survey of the department stated we need to have more competency for the staff and the work they do.’ Do you know how many compe- tencies a department should have?”


After last month’s cliffhanger, this month we will address: 1. How do you develop competency? 2. How many competencies should a department need/have?


First, it is necessary to have a policy


outlining how to do an assessment of what skills are vital for performance within the department. Next, decide what method they will use to assess staff com- petency. This will vary from department to department.


Skills might be a) how to brush/clean medical devices, b) how to operate an ultrasonic cleaner, or c) how to read a sterilizer record. What are the vital skills needed in your department? I believe this should be a combined effort with staff and management. Experts agree there are three primary competency assessment methods. • Self-assessments: employee evaluates their own level of competency.


• Manager assessments: manager evaluates the employee’s competency. • Assessment: employees are evaluated by more than one person (i.e., managers, preceptor, peers, and subordinates). Next, how do you write and perform the competency assessment?


Based on an article published on this topic by OR nurse and educator Alice Speers, RN, this is the formula I used when I was in a leadership position. I would advise all to read Ms. Speers’ article.1


I


have adapted and modifi ed her teachings to meet my needs. 1. Define the competencies you want to assess.


2. Observe the employee and request feedback based on the competen- cies you wrote.


3. Determine the employee’s expected com- petency level (score).


Photo 75002973 © Jakub Jirsak | Dreamstime.com hpnonline.com • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS • December 2023 31 Designate, Develop,


4. Develop an action plan if a defi ciency is determined. Did not achieve the desired score (outcome).


5. Communicate the result. 6. If there is a deficiency, then retrain and retest.


Based on your questions, the surveyor may believe your department needs more competency testing to show the staff per- formed properly, or perhaps they saw something incorrectly performed and that your manager could not show adequate training for that specifi c skill. Second, how many competencies should a department need/have? I had 15 depart- mental competencies. Once completed, we started over again for all the staff. I believe each department is different, and leadership in concert with staff needs to devise what is important for their depart- ment. I do not believe in a fi xed number for any department.


This process should be documented and saved to show anybody how you produced your set of competencies for your depart- ment. Also, it can change over time. Maybe you do not use Ethylene Oxide (EtO) anymore, but now use another form of low-temperature sterilization, replacing your EtO competency. Our work is ever


changing, and so should our competencies (along with our knowledge). In closing, consider the Chinese philoso- pher Lao Tzu, founder of Taoism, who said, “Give a man a fi sh and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fi sh and you feed him for a lifetime.” Let’s revise it some. Teach a medical device reprocessing pro- fessional how to do something correctly with the why, and they will do it right for a lifetime.


If you recall “my C2” from Part I, I said


certifi cation is part of the answer. Ring in the new year with January’s issue to discover the last piece—why certifi cation should be considered when developing competency for medical device reprocess- ing professionals. HPN


References


1. Speers, Alice T., RN. (2005). Centra Processing technician Internship – A Unique Learning Opportunity. AORN Jour- nal. August 2005; Volume 82, Issue 2. 231-243. https://doi. org/10.1016/S0001-2092(06)60315-3


Stephen M. Kovach, BS, CFER, started in the medical fi eld in 1975 as a sterilization orderly and has worked in many positions within the Healthcare Industry. He presently is Clinical Educator Emeritus at Healthmark Industries.


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