Sterile In Sterile Out

Sterile In Sterile Out

Dustin Patterson | Regional Sales Manager, LogiQuip LLC.

Maintaining a sterile storage area relies on using the right packing materials, storage methods, and environmental conditions.  Developing  sterile  storage  policies  and procedures based on accepted guidelines helps to ensure that surgical instrumentation and supplies remain sterile until they are used. Below are a few storage guidelines to help maintain sterility.

▶ Maintaining sterility starts with making sure the items being moved into storage are sterile. Follow guidelines, IFU’s, and facility procedures for processing and packing surgical instrumentation to set yourself up for success.

â–¶  Surgical packs are prone to ripping and punctures, especially when moving them in and out of storage. Make sure your shelving has a smooth, burr free finish and rounded edges or use shelf covers to help protect surgical packs from heading back to reprocessing.

â–¶ Do not overcrowd or stack packages on top of each other. Store sterile packed items in one layer. This will help ensure the packages are not crushed, bent, or compressed, compromising their sterility.

â–¶ Soiled or stained packages are to be treated as though they are contaminated. Items in these contaminated packages will need to be discarded or reprocessed.

â–¶ Once sterile items are in storage, do not touch or move them until you are ready to prepare a case. Each interaction creates an opportunity to compromise the sterile item.

â–¶ Store sterile items in a low traffic, temperature and humidity-controlled environment.

More to come on this in February’s post.

Dustin Patterson is currently the Mid-West Regional Sales Manager with Logiquip Healthcare Storage Solutions, a leading provider of high-quality, future focused storage systems designed exclusively for use in the healthcare environment. Logiquip is based out of Kalamazoo, MI and has served healthcare organizations across the US for 30 years. Dustin brings over 12 years of experience in space planning and healthcare storage. He has acted on behalf of LogiQuip as the vendor liaison to the AHRMM Wisconsin Chapter, a leading membership group for healthcare supply chain professionals. Working closely with many hospitals and surgery centers, Dustin has developed tailored solutions using a mix of best practices, Lean principles, and industry-leading storage equipment. He has also worked with many Sterile Processing Departments to maximize storage spaces, balancing trade-offs between high-capacity storage layouts and workflow efficiencies.

To view products that support the tips and tricks outlined in this article, follow the links below.

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