Inadequate reprocessing of endoscopes and surgical instruments landed the No. 10 spot on the ECRI Institute's top 10 patient safety concerns for 2014, as it can lead to the spread of several diseases, including hepatitis C, HIV and tuberculosis.
To avoid inadequate reprocessing, hospitals need to have sound procedures in place and not put pressure on employees to move too quickly through them, said James P. Keller, vice president of health technology evaluation and safety for the ECRI Institute, in the report. "If there is pressure to meet procedure volume, we can see steps skipped to hasten the turnaround," he said.
One commonly skipped step is rinsing the instrument and allowing it to dry, according to the report. More tips to avoid inadequate reprocessing include:
• Develop and document proper reprocessing protocols for all instrument models the facility uses
• Train staff to follow those protocols
• Provide staff adequate space, equipment and instructional materials
• Foster communication between departments that need the reprocessed devices and the processing department
More Articles on Reprocessing:
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