Sterilization & Disinfection
Why OR leaders should revisit sterile processing basics
Sterile Processing Department (SPD) managers and technicians know a thing or two about pressure. In a recent webinar covering sterile processing basics, Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, president and CEO of Ofstead & Associates, Inc, and Abby Smart, MPH, research associate, cited the example of a 480-bed hospital that performed 13,650…
Breaking down the surgical gown: Disposable versus reusable, latest innovations
There is movement happening in the world of surgical gowns. It is driven in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought new focus to the need for adequate stockpiles of personal protective equipment (PPE)—and for PPE that works as intended. Staff need to know their gowns incorporate the latest technology…
Studies link bacteria from long nurse fingernails to lethal infections in infants
Editor's Note Without proper nail care, proper handwashing might not be enough to prevent infection and death among infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). That’s according to a February 8 report from nurse.org, which drove home the importance of following hygiene protocols by highlighting real-world evidence confirming the…
Iodine povacrylex outperforms chlorhexidine in skin antisepsis alcohol solution study
Editor's Note A recent study shows show skin antisepsis with iodine povacrylex in alcohol could result in fewer surgical-site infections among patients with closed extremity fractures than antisepsis with chlorhexidine gluconate in alcohol. Published February 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study shows similar results between the…
FDA announces urgent chest drain recall
Editor's Note The FDA has announced a recall of the Atrium Express Dry Suction Dry Seal Chest Drain, a disposable device used to remove air and/or fluid from the chest cavity or mediastinum and to aid in lung expansion and breathing. The drain is being recalled by maker Maquet Cardiovascular,…
Session: What to expect from healthcare policy, regulation in 2024
Editor's Note Since the pandemic, the view of the healthcare industry in congress has essentially gone from “hero to zero” – a shift with potentially big implications for the healthcare business leaders gathered at yesterday’s closing session from Soumi Saha, PharmD, JD, senior vice president of government affairs at Premier…
Session: Fast-forward—ECRI’s top 10 health technology hazards
Editor's Note ECRI, an independent, nonprofit organization that aims to improve the safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness of care across all healthcare settings, every year compiles and unveils a list of the top 10 technology hazards affecting patient care. The motivation for producing this list, according to Jason Launders, director of…
FDA updates safety recall of certain saline, sterile water medical products
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 24 updated its safety recall communication from November 6 to add to the voluntary recalls of saline and sterile water medical products associated with Nurse Assist, LLC. The FDA recall notice lists various water-based medical products manufactured by Nurse…
Surgeons design implant coating to combat infections
Editor's Note: A point-of-care, antimicrobial coating for orthopedic implants could soon make implant-associated infections a problem of the past, UCLA Health reported on January 3. Developed by two UCLA surgeons, the coating is designed to kill or slow the spread of micro-organisms in order to prevent post-surgical infections. According to…
Managing immediate use steam sterilization
Immediate use steam sterilization (IUSS, a standard steam sterilization cycle with little to no dry time) is considered safe for patient care when the processes recommended in Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) standards and AORN guidelines are followed. IUSS is a valuable option in an emergency. Lack…
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