It's not rocket science and yet many hospital administrators just don't get it -- Sterile Processing departments need SUPERVISORS! AAMI ST79:2017 recommends it, ECRI makes it a point to spotlight, and the Joint Commission expects it. Plus there's something called common sense that tells us that constant interruptions of frontline staff to deal with "supervisory duties" takes these technician's minds and focus away from the detailed tasks in front of them. Supervisors are able to guard their team...
Oct 07, 2020•7 min
Why would a neurosurgeon decide to pursue certification in the Sterile Processing industry? What happened in this surgeon's career to turn his eyes and his heart toward the teams managing surgical instrumentation in his facility and across the industry? As we kick off an historical Season 10 of the Beyond Clean podcast, we invited Dr. George Cybulski, Chief Medical Officer of Vested Medical, Inc. to join us for a discussion around surgeon engagement, surgical efficiency, and a vision for Sterile...
Oct 05, 2020•31 min•Season 10Ep. 1
More and more healthcare facilities around the globe are looking closer at, or upgrading their fleet of, UV technology. This LIVE broadcast will talk about how the science of "killer light" plays out in surface disinfection and how/if this technology has further application in the Operating Room and Sterile Processing environments. This is one of those episodes when you may want to bring your Infection Prevention & Environmental Service team along for the ride as well. Buckle up! It'll be a ...
Sep 30, 2020•1 hr 9 min
Reprocessing flexible endoscopes is a challenging task that begs the question: is it finally time for a paradigm shift in endoscope reprocessing? Based on a ground-breaking research study regarding the dangers of contaminant exposure, reprocessing errors, and ineffective cleaning measures, infection control teams should consider the option to sterilize flexible scopes where feasible. On this Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight we talk with Dr. Jeremy Yarwood, Nancy Fellows, and Dr. Ryan Lewis from Adv...
Sep 25, 2020•31 min
In this episode Bob discusses the frustration surrounding PPE shortages and asks the necessary question -- what are we going to do to prevent this in the future? Tune in as Bob #getsreal about this important topic. Have a question for Bob? Email him at: Bob@beyondclean.net #RealTalk #BobMarrs #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™
Sep 23, 2020•6 min
There are things that people do well and things that machines do well. By combining those two, we get the optimal result of a collaboration between humans and machines. Parts of the average Sterile Processing Department already include some kind of automation. But what about all those other dangerous, boring, or overly complex tasks that Sterile Processing technicians struggle to complete on a daily basis? The technology that helps us solve those challenges already exists and on this week's rele...
Sep 18, 2020•34 min
If you have been leading your team, you’re comfortable speaking in front of a group, and you have information to share that will help reshape the industry in small or large ways, then it may be time to take the next step into the world of public speaking and showcase your knowledge in a larger setting! Join Lindsay for this #GrowthSpurt on becoming a dynamic speaker and learn easy ways to impact your audiences of all sizes. Have a question or comment for Linds? Email her at: Lindsay@beyondclean....
Sep 16, 2020•2 min
Moment of truth here: Do you have any rusty instruments in your surgical trays? No, let's be honest. And if you have seen rusty instruments, what is stopping you from taking them out? On this episode of Fighting Dirty, Hank brings the skeleton out of the Sterile Processing closet and gives an argument for transparency that will better protect our patients and guard our facilities against liability. Recent research has shown large percentages of surgical inventory in the US is sub-quality and not...
Sep 09, 2020•7 min
On this week's episode, Bob talks about that inevitable day when surgical volumes increase due to elective surgeries coming back on the books. Bob shares practical ways that you can get your Sterile Processing department prepared to run smoothly and efficiently. Tune in now and make sure your SPD team is #ReadytoRock! Have a question for Bob? Email him at: Bob@beyondclean.net #RealTalk #BobMarrs #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™
Sep 02, 2020•6 min
We can control what we say and how we say it but, as it turns out, our audience will pay more attention to the "how" than the "what". This is the second episode in a series on communication and public speaking. Join Lindsay Brown for this #growthspurt focused on the important role of non-verbal communication. Have a question or comment for Linds? Email her at: Lindsay@beyondclean.net #GrowthSpurt #LindsayBrown #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™...
Aug 26, 2020•2 min
When you hear the word "research" what comes to mind? Cure for cancer? New sources of renewable energy? How about better ways of decontaminating surgical instrumentation or data-driven programs for educating new technicians so that they not only enjoy the job but stay in the industry for decades? On this episode of the Beyond Clean Podcast, we sit down with Lisa McKown, DrPHc, MBA, CRCST, CIS, CHL, MBTI (Manager, Research & Development at Beyond Clean) to discuss the critical need for more r...
Aug 24, 2020•25 min•Season 9Ep. 8
Is that presentation CE approved? How many continuing education credits is it worth? Why on earth are these the first questions for so many of us in the Sterile Processing industry when confronted with education options? If all the potential industry education in the world were poured into the ocean, the portion that was CE-approved would fill up a shot glass. On this episode of Fighting Dirty, Hank hops up on one of his favorite soap boxes and lays out an argument for thinking bigger than any a...
Aug 19, 2020•6 min
Why does it matter that patients in the OR waiting room know the name "Sterile Processing" and have an idea of how our teams contribute to their safe surgery? How can our industry tell our story in a way that opens the public's eyes to the invaluable role we play in healthcare? On this episode of the Beyond Clean podcast, we sit down with the director & producers of "Beyond the Tour," brothers Aaron & Christian Ankrum, to talk about the power of story telling to change hearts and minds, ...
Aug 17, 2020•35 min•Season 9Ep. 7
On this week's episode, Bob touches on the valuable improvements that can be made to instrument sets in a proactive manner rather than a reactive one and stresses the importance of #InstrumentQuality for every department in the hospital. Have a question for Bob? Email him at: Bob@beyondclean.net #RealTalk #BobMarrs #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™
Aug 12, 2020•5 min
Scientists, engineers, and manufacturers across the globe are racing to find answers to the challenges facing endoscope reprocessing in the 21st century. But are there differences in how these issues are being addressed depending on which country is making the standards? How have various infectious outbreaks impacted these discussions in Europe & the United States? On this episode of the Beyond Clean podcast, we invited Nick Bromiley, AGTS, CFER, CSPDT, ARIA, Clinical Training Specialist at ...
Aug 10, 2020•31 min•Season 9Ep. 6
In a perfect world, vendors and manufacturers would consult with both Sterile Processing and Operating Room professionals as they build their products. This would ensure that any products put in place would help solve the chaotic nature of these departments rather than add to it. What if you were to learn that there is a solution that has taken this approach? A solution that turns chaos into consistency. On this week's release of the Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight Series, we speak with Chris Stew...
Aug 07, 2020•38 min
By nature of working in healthcare, experiencing a crisis in some form is inevitable. When you're called to lead, there are a few things to consider. Join Lindsay for today's #GrowthSpurt to learn about ways you can communicate through times of crisis and exemplify true leadership. Have a question or comment for Linds? Email her at: Lindsay@beyondclean.net #GrowthSpurt #LindsayBrown #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™...
Aug 05, 2020•2 min
Few topics are as debated in Sterile Processing circles today as the topic of "event related sterility" and packaging shelf life. If packaging has a shelf life listed in the IFU, do you have to follow it -- or can hospitals decide to do their own thing? Does an extended period of storage constitute an "event"? How do manufacturers determine shelf life in the first place? The questions are endless, but on this week's episode of the Beyond Clean podcast we bring the dynamic duo of Jennifer Benolke...
Aug 03, 2020•37 min•Season 9Ep. 5
There are three different instructions for use that need to be considered when preparing a medical device for sterilization: the sterilizer, the medical device itself, and the packaging system. The FDA requires that medical devices be tested in just one type of packaging system and on this week’s release of the Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight Series, we speak with Barbara Ann Harmer about the maze that is instructions for use to help people understand which IFUs to use under which circumstances. H...
Jul 31, 2020•29 min
How do you respond to hospital administrators or surgical leaders who brush aside your Sterile Processing requests or recommendations because your facility has "low surgical site infection (SSI) rates"? Is this a helpful measurement when department leaders are still voicing equipment, staffing, and other resource concerns? In this episode of Fighting Dirty, Hank lays out a challenge for anyone trying to deny your department requests based on SSI rates alone. Tune in for some talking points for y...
Jul 29, 2020•6 min
Sterile Processing technicians have been on the frontlines of the fight against viruses long before anyone ever heard of COVID-19. In fact, there are many types of dangerous viruses that our teams can and do encounter on a daily basis, and our departments have to be prepared to kill them all. On this episode of the Beyond Clean podcast, we bring back an audience favorite, Wava Truscott, PhD to delve into the details of virus-ology and give us a quick lesson on these submicroscopic infectious age...
Jul 27, 2020•30 min•Season 9Ep. 4
When someone asks if storage is an issue for your Sterile Processing department, what is your first response…to roll your eyes perhaps? But what if looking up…is the ticket? Let’s face it, the need for space in Sterile Processing is an issue for many healthcare facilities and the implications of not having enough storage to keep up with the demand of the OR means potential revenue lost. On this episode of the Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight Series we talk with Amy Flynn, North American OR/CS Marke...
Jul 24, 2020•37 min
On this week's episode, Bob discusses Sterile Processing professionals' impact on infections. Bob hops on his favorite soapbox to discuss how important it is that Sterile Processing departments have the resources they need and gives a call to action to start a #SterileProcessingRevolution . Have a question for Bob? Email him at: Bob@beyondclean.net #RealTalk #BobMarrs #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™...
Jul 22, 2020•5 min
On this episode of the Beyond Clean podcast, we dust off that library in your manager's office to take a look at a one particular document you may have never cracked open before - ANSI/AAMI ST58:2013 (Chemical Sterilization and High-Level Disinfection in Health Care Facilities). To help us with this little exploration into the pages of recommended practices, we invited Janet Prust, Director of Standards and Global Business Development at 3M Health Care. Don't miss this opportunity to get an impo...
Jul 20, 2020•33 min•Season 9Ep. 3
Did you know that you don't have to be a "speaker" to present valuable information? Join Lindsay for today's #GrowthSpurt to learn about simple ways you can communicate process improvements and department successes without having to speak in front of an audience. Have a question or comment for Linds? Email her at: Lindsay@beyondclean.net #GrowthSpurt #LindsayBrown #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™...
Jul 15, 2020•1 min
One may be the "loneliest number" in the lyrics of the classic rock band Three Dog Night, but zero is the number Sterile Processing professionals love to see in their departments. In particular, zero is the ultimate goal for teams seeking to reduce their hospital's Immediate Use Steam Sterilization (IUSS) rate. On this episode of the Beyond Clean podcast (with new 1 CE approval!), we sat down with Jason Pacino, CRCST, Sterile Processing Operations Manager at Highland Hospital of Rochester NY to ...
Jul 13, 2020•24 min•Season 9Ep. 2
How many of you have ever read a brushing IFU for one of your instruments and wondered to yourself, "Who spends 60 seconds actually doing nothing by brushing the distal tip of this device?" Out of all the steps that could be skipped or short-circuited during manual cleaning, brushing is the most likely offender. We see it on a regular basis during onsite assessments, and if you have spent any time in an Endo or SPD department, you have likely seen non-compliant brushing as well. On this episode ...
Jul 08, 2020•6 min
All for one and one for all isn't just a slogan for the growing number of centralized reprocessing centers in the United States. More and more Sterile Processing leaders and technicians are experiencing the pressures of growing surgical volume, limited space, and health systems looking for more standardization. On this premiere episode of Season 9 of Beyond Clean, we talk with Lori Ferrer, BS, CST, CRCST, the Director of the Central Processing Center at Fairview Health about the growing trends o...
Jul 06, 2020•27 min•Season 9Ep. 1
On this week's episode, Bob dives into the topic of finding answers (right or wrong) through social media groups. What are the critical things to consider when crowdsourcing information that you need to do your job? Tune in for more clinical education and training around #SterileProcessingSocialMedia . Have a question for Bob? Email him at: Bob@beyondclean.net #RealTalk #BobMarrs #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™...
Jul 01, 2020•4 min
As the backbone of most Sterile Processing workflows around the globe, steam sterilization is a massively important topic. And yet there are still pervasive misunderstandings across the industry regarding how and why our autoclaves should be tested, and just as importantly, when it is necessary to validate their performance. In addition to proper loading and use, a number of other aspects of care and maintenance go into ensuring these devices operate at maximum safety and efficiency. On this re-...
Jun 29, 2020•25 min•Season 3Ep. 6
