Let’s Talk Measles….Again
The measles outbreak continues. Cases have been confirmed in 30 states. As of July 25, 2019, there have been 1,164 cases reported, which is the largest reported number of cases since 1992 and since measles was declared eliminated in 2000. In order to address this ongoing issue, the CDC published additional guidance in July to […]
Instrument Processing – Sterilization
To date, we have focused on the cleaning process and the importance of ensuring instruments are adequately cleaned and appropriately wrapped or packaged. April’s article ended with loading the sterilizer appropriately. This month we will discuss the actual instrument sterilization process. The Sterilization Process Sterilization can be defined as the process of making an object […]
Measles Cases on the Rise in U.S.
In case you haven’t heard, we have a record number of measles cases documented in the US. At this point over 700 cases in 22 states have been reported, which is the highest number of cases since 2000, the year the disease was reported eliminated. Healthcare workers are considered at risk for exposure. Have you […]
Measles: Should Healthcare Workers Be Concerned?
Until recent years the risk of being exposed to measles was not the first illnesses to come to mind when considering the risk of disease transmission from patients to healthcare workers. Even now there are reported outbreaks in many states of both measles and mumps. One can no longer be confident that during the delivery […]
Instrument Processing
Instrument Preparation, Packaging Loading Last month we focused on the cleaning process and the importance of ensuring instruments are adequately cleaned prior to packaging. Before we pick up where we left off, remember that instruments should be visually inspected for cleanliness and completely dry before they are wrapped or placed in a sterilization pouch. Packaging […]
The Bugs of Fall
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong After the boys of summer have gone -Don Henley Anyone remember the song The Boys of Summer by Don Henley? We are going to move away from our summer jaunts to focus on the Bugs of Fall. It is that time of year […]
Dental Unit Waterline Quality Testing Services
Waterlines used in any dental unit that has a water supply, such as syringes and ultrasonic scalers, can become contaminated with biofilm, a coating of microorganisms. To prevent infection, the CDC recommends that dental unit water used in non-surgical procedures is maintained at the same cleanliness standard set for drinking water by the Environmental Protection […]
Jenn’s Vision for Eye Protection Best Practices
Despite the warnings of what can or might go wrong when receiving medical and dental care, most of us don’t really think anything bad will happen to us, until it does. This was the case for a young woman in July 2013 who was having a routine dental procedure. The dentist failed to follow Best […]
Aftermath Services
Karen Gregory joins Aftermath Services on the Discovery Channel for an episode of Innovations with Ed Begley, Jr.. Innovations is a television show that brings viewers the most current information of leading industries out there making a difference. One of these leaders is Aftermath Services LLC. Aftermath is the premier, nation-wide crime scene clean up […]
Four Critical Steps in Instrument Processing
(Updated June 2019) Patient safety is at the center of many conversations in the health care community. While many processes may impact the safety of a patient, appropriate instrument processing should rank at the top of the list of safety priorities. In this article, we will address four critical steps in instrument processing, but before […]