Following this year’s audits of reprocessing practices, the Reprocessing Practice Improvement Program (RPIP) developed a brochure “Satellite Area Staff Guide to Reprocessing Basics”.
The brochure identifies what is a Satellite Area; explains a bit about the Reprocessing Practice Improvement Program; and provides ‘need to know’ information from various reference materials, such as steps in the reprocessing cycle, and key safety advice staff need to know before working on their own
The Absolute Basics:
The most important principle to consider in the reprocessing cycle is the need for scrupulous cleaning prior to disinfection or sterilization of the equipment.
Cleaning removes debris so that the surfaces of medical devices can be disinfected or sterilized; disinfecting and sterilizing processes are made ineffective by organic material or the physical barriers it creates
The brochures will be available mid October. Please contact reprocessing@vch.ca if you would like copies for your department.