Deborah Burrows - Southern NSW LHD - Operating Theatres & Sterilisation Services – The Forgotten Partnership?

operating theatres & sterilisation services – the forgotten partnership?

Deborah Burrows – SNSWLHD Clinical Nurse Consultant Perioperative & Sterilisation Services

Operating Theatre Management Conference August 2015

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objectives

! Gain a better understanding of sterilising systems

! Understand the expectations of perioperative and sterilising staff

! Discover the standards we all work with

! Ideas for improving communication between units


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aim of position

! Sterilising staff understand their importance

! Perioperative staff understand importance of sterilising staff

! Managers spend equal time with each group

! Re-establish networks and contacts

!  Increase sterilising profile in the organisation


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questions to start us off…….. !  How many of you have worked shifts in a sterilising unit?

!  Do you know what standard they work under?

!  How long does a load take to go through a steriliser?

!  Have you ever rotated staff through the sterilising unit?

!  How many ‘quick turn around” items would you need in a day/week? And how long should that take?

!  Do you seek their opinion when you purchase new equipment?

!  Do you communicate well with the sterilising unit manager or is that manager you?

!  How many external clients do your sterilising units sterilise for?

!  How much time does it take to get a loan joint replacement set ready for use in theatre?


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sterilising - just washing up?

! Collection of dirty instruments

! Separation and checking instrument trays complete

!  Identifying those instruments which need special attention – cannulated, delicate, orthopaedic

! Complete correct wash for each instrument – washer cycle type, hand washing, ultrasonic

! Dry and visually check

! Exit washer other side – repack/check trays/allow to cool

! Wrap or appropriately prepared for sterilising process Operating Theatre Management Conference August 2015

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! Sterilise – correct cycle, correctly placed on trolley

! Check and cool

! Dispatch

! Document, document, document

! And this is just for those instruments in theatre – what about external clients and those other units in the hospital – there is another layer of documentation for them


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Other duties !  Testing of machines and

equipment !  Management of loan equipment !  Management of external client

equipment

!  Environmental cleaning !  Documentation !  KPI & end of month reporting !  Sending & tracking repairs

!  Stores ordering & stock inventory !  Management of endoscopes !  Mandatory education

requirements


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standards to be met

!  AS/NZ 4187:2014 Reprocessing of Reusable Medical Devices in Health Service Organisations

!  National Safety & Quality Health Service Standards – specifically Standard 3 Criterion: cleaning, disinfection & sterilisation

!  ACORN Standards – specifically “reprocessing of reusable items: cleaning, packaging, sterilisation & storage of sterile supplies”

!  Infection control policy

!  GENCA Infection Control in Endoscopy– for those who reprocess endoscopes

!  2013_054 Management of instruments, accountable items and other items used for surgery or procedures (for those in NSW, goes by other titles in other states)


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expectations

Perioperative staff !  Equipment will be ready quickly if

needed urgently

!  Equipment is on hand when needed

!  The sterile equipment will be easy to open

!  The equipment is sterile

!  Sets are complete or identified as missing items

Sterilisation staff

!  Allowed time to clean equipment and sterilise appropriately

!  Clean instruments at point of use

!  Need for quick turn around should be rare

!  Sterile stock will be treated appropriately when it leaves their unit

!  Complete the paperwork as required

!  Communicate loan equipment etc. requirements


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common expectations to both

! Understand the pressure they are under

! Know all the ‘other jobs’ they have to do

! Be treated with respect

! Understand their importance in the whole cycle

! Patient needs are met


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why work together? ! Common expectations ! Theatres cannot work

without sterile equipment

! Close working relationship

! Standards cannot be met without both parties working together

! Can learn from each other Operating Theatre Management Conference August 2015

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working together - communication is the key !  Meet on a regular basis (weekly, fortnightly, monthly) to discuss

issues

!  Teach staff about the right way to manage & store sterile equipment

!  Ensure everyone knows what is involved to achieve quick turn around items – have estimated times set and displayed

!  Praise jobs well done

!  Ensure if loan equipment going to them, they know what to expect

!  Invite them to the surgical services meetings and have them on the agenda as a standing item


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other options to consider ! High turn around items – consider purchasing more

! Value the sterilising staff- if they do well, tell them

!  Include them in the purchase of new reusable equipment

! Consider rotating staff into the sterilising unit to see what is done and how hard some equipment is to clean and prepare

! Consider having sterilising staff come and observe your staff working

! Sterilising staff can be invited to give inservice to perioperative staff on a range of subjects


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Teamwork is working together – even when apart Anonymous

Deborah Burrows SNSWLHD CNC Perioperative & Sterilisation Services

0419 979 334

[email protected]


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Deborah Burrows - Southern NSW LHD - Operating Theatres & Sterilisation Services – The Forgotten Partnership?