UNCLEAN STRIKES AGAIN! – ISSUE NO. 7

Cleaning matters seem to be appearing in the limelight more and more lately. Recently the JCAHO released a statement that they will be focusing more on the complete process when it comes to sterilization and that means asking about cleaning and how items are being cleaned. Click here to read the complete statements... Last week the FDA informed healthcare professionals of instances in which pieces of tissue have remained within arthroscopic shavers, a device used in orthopedic surgical procedures, even after the cleaning process was believed to have been completed according to the manufacturer's instructions. Since retained tissue in these devices can compromise the entire sterilization process, FDA is actively working with the manufacturers of these devices to gather more data about this situation and to understand its potential public health impact. FDA encourages facilities that use any of these types of devices to evaluate the adequacy of their cleaning procedures and has provided recommendations for minimizing the potential risk to patients. Click to read the complete MedWatch 2009 Safety summary, including a link to the FDA communication about the ongoing safety review... The question I pose is "What are you doing to make sure your process is one of the best when it comes to cleaning and cleaning verification?" If you need help in this area, here are some proven solutions.