It’s Your Call – January 2025
OSHA/Infection Control: What are the three ways to sterilize instruments used on patients? Sterilization of instruments achieves destruction of all forms of microbial life either by physical or chemical methods. There are different ways available to sterilize critical and semi-critical instruments/items utilizing either high or low temperature methods. Most instruments are heat stable and therefore […]
Instrument Processing Essentials: Key Steps for Sterilization and Storage
Instrument processing is critical to ensure sterility of instruments utilized on patients. There are four steps in processing instruments: cleaning, packaging, sterilization, and storage. This article will focus on the last two steps: sterilization and storage. Earle H. Spaulding. PhD, devised a rationale for disinfection and sterilization of instruments and items. He categorized instruments […]
Clean Hands, Healthy Holidays: Protect Loved Ones from Illness with Effective Hand Hygiene
With the upcoming holidays and many family gatherings, one of the most important ways to protect yourself and loved ones is performing frequent hand hygiene. Good hand hygiene protects against sickness and disease such as the flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), COVID-19, and other respiratory illnesses. Hand hygiene has been known to be the single […]
Empowering Your Workplace: New Courses for Safety, Compliance, and Cybersecurity
In today’s rapidly evolving professional landscape, staying informed and prepared is more crucial than ever. To meet the diverse needs of organizations and their staff, we are excited to introduce a selection of new courses designed to enhance safety, compliance, and overall workplace effectiveness. From cybersecurity awareness to infection control in dental settings, these courses […]
Your Employee Had a Needlestick Exposure – What Do You Do?
What do you do when an employee has a needlestick exposure? STEP 1 – ARRANGE FOR AN IMMEDIATE MEDICAL EVALUATION The EMPLOYER is required to offer confidential medical evaluation, laboratory testing, and follow-up care at no expense to the employee. Early intervention is essential for effectively managing potential illness and preventing the transmission of bloodborne […]
Instrument Processing Essentials: Steps for Effective Cleaning and Safe Packaging
Medical and dental instrument processing is a critical aspect of employee and patient safety and requires a series of steps. There are four steps in instrument processing: cleaning, packaging, sterilization, and storage. This article will concentrate on cleaning and packaging. We will cover sterilization and storage next month. Step 1: Cleaning Instruments Before any instrument […]
Reopening After A Hurricane: Steps for Healthcare Facilities to Ensure Safety and Compliance
Following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, and any other disaster, one of the many challenges that medical and dental facilities will face is reopening. This article’s purpose is to provide some guidance for all facilities to open safely and to ensure a sanitary environment for both employees and patients. There are several concerns that will […]
Staying Ahead of Respiratory Illness Season: Best Practices for Healthcare Workers
Respiratory illness season is fast approaching once again and typically peaks in fall and winter. The CDC expects that the upcoming fall and winter virus season will likely have a similar or lower peak number of combined hospitalizations from COVID-19, influenza (flu), and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) compared to last year. At the time of […]
How to Clean and Disinfect Environmental Surfaces in Healthcare Settings
Environmental surfaces are the surfaces of equipment, chairs, furniture, walls, and flooring. It is essential that they are cleaned and disinfected between each patient or on a routine basis. Environmental surfaces, also categorized as clinical contact or housekeeping surfaces, are all considered non-critical surfaces. Environmental surfaces do not contact patients directly; however, they can become […]
It’s Your Call – July 2024
HIPAA: Do surveillance cameras breach HIPAA regulations? Since HIPAA mandates the confidentiality of protected health information (PHI), installing video cameras can result in a violation if they are not placed correctly or used appropriately. Infection Control: What is the difference between universal, standard, and transmission-based precautions in preventing the spread of infection? Universal precautions […]