Importance of Proper Instrument Sterilization

I’ve been thinking a lot about the significance of instrument sterilization in the OR. The other day, we had a procedure where I noticed some instruments didn’t look freshly sterilized, and it really made me reconsider our protocols. Ensuring all tools are properly prepared not only protects our patients but also enhances our effectiveness during surgery.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠‍‌‌‍​‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‍​‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‌​⁠​​⁠​​‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‍​‌​⁠​‌‌‍‌​‌‌​‍​⁠‌​‌‍‍​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

And i’ve seen the same issue with instruments during busy shifts. It’s tough to juggle everything, but maybe implementing a double-check system could help? What do you think about having a backup person dedicated to that?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠‍‌‌‍​‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‍‍‌‌‍​‌⁠‌​‌‌⁠⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌⁠‌​‍‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍​‍‌‍​⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌​‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I totally get where you’re coming from; I’ve noticed some instruments looking off too during hectic times. What’s worked for us is assigning one person to verify sterilization before each procedure; it really helps keep us on track. Have you considered a similar approach?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠‍‌‌‍​‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‌‌⁠‌​‌‌​‍‌‌​​‌​⁠⁠‌‌‌​‌​‍⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍⁠‌‌​‍⁠‌‍‍​‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I once forgot to check sterilization on a tool before a big surgery, and it felt like bringing a rubber chicken to a gourmet kitchen! Now, I always double-check right before we start, especially on busy days. @jcooper76, a quick sterile check can save a lot of stress later.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠‍‌‌‍​‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​⁠‌‌‍​‍​⁠​‌‌​‌‍‌​⁠‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‌‌‌‌​⁠‌​‌‍‌‍​⁠‌​‌‍‌​​‍‌‍‍‍‌‍‌​‌⁠‍​‌‌⁠⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​