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Sterile processing technicians handle medical instruments contaminated with potentially pathogenic microorganisms. Many instruments include sharp edges and points that could cut or puncture technicians. Staying safe when manually cleaning requires attention to potential safety hazards both in and out of the sink.

Water quality is critical in any process within a Sterile Processing Department (SPD). Inadequate water quality during medical device reprocessing can cause a number of negative outcomes.

Instructions for Use (IFUs) are essential for guiding healthcare providers in reprocessing medical devices.

In order to address the potential gaps of surface disinfection, newer technologies such as ultraviolet light in the C spectrum (UV-C) have become available in multiple settings.

Today, robots with specially designed instruments can assist in a variety of laparoscopic procedures.

 

Manual cleaning in a hospital sterile processing department (SPD) is a specific, complex, and labor-intensive process that cannot be taken lightly. Although technology and automation are integral to the instrument processing workflow, the manual precleaning process can’t be automated – it requires a careful human touch.

Most medical devices that go through sterile processing departments spend time in mechanical cleaning. Dirty medical devices enter, and clean ones leave. Many assume all the safety hazards are found on the dirty side of operation, but mechanical cleaning safety is truly a tale of two sides.