It's Sterile Processing Week! And while I am not a Sterile Processing professional, as an OR nurse I am acutely aware of how essential our sterile processing teams are for the success of every procedure that we perform.
I witness incredible teamwork and professionalism every single day and, as a team, we're all contributing to successful surgical care and great patient outcomes. Our patients may only see surgeons, nurses, and anesthesia providers, but those of us behind the red line see - and depend on - every member of our surgical team for success.
Behind the Red Line
There's so much that goes on behind the scenes that our patients never see, and there are many roles within surgical services that the general public knows very little, or perhaps nothing, about. Surgical Technologists fill a vital, but often unknown role in our operating rooms. Patients never see the perfusionists, vendor representatives, radiology techs, or the EVS person who cleaned the OR before their case. All of these roles (and more) are critical for surgical success.
There's also another role, too. A team member that we all depend on, and without whom surgery wouldn't be possible - our operating rooms would come to a screeching halt, completely unable to function. This critical member of our team, that rarely gets the recognition it deserves is Sterile Processing.
Our Sterile Processing Departments (SPD) and the professionals who work in them are the backbone of the operating room, and the foundational members of our surgical team. Why? Because before we even set foot into our operating rooms, the hardworking folks in SPD have meticulously ensured that every instrument is clean, sterilized, and ready for use.
It's a lot more than just washing dishes, folks..
If I was going to give our SPD techs superhero names, I might call them the Guardians of Sterility or the Defenders of Disinfection - but I realize that's a little silly. However, while we may laugh at the suggestion of superhero titles, having a dedicated team tirelessly inspecting, cleaning, disinfecting, inspecting again, assembling, and sterilizing our instruments and equipment is a critical process that we all depend on, and something that our sterile processing professionals take very seriously.
Every clamp, every scalpel, every surgical tray is carefully inspected with precision and attention to detail, meeting the highest standards of cleanliness and sterility to ensure that our patients are safe. So while the role may be "behind the scenes", the impact of SPD is felt in every set-up, every case, and every time a patient rolls into our room.
That's a big responsibility for our co-workers in SPD to carry. Thousands of instruments move through their department each day. Despite the long hours, close quarters, heavy lifting, fast pace of cases, and grueling demands of working in a hot environment, every single instrument gets the same focus and the same attention to detail.
Because, whether we're in the OR or we're in SPD, we ALL know what one mistake could mean... Delays, canceled cases, or worse, patient infection.... So, while the pressures of turnover times, productivity, and case volumes are pressing on us from clock in to clock out, our Sterile Processing coworkers can never compromise quality or lose their focus. The fate of the surgery and the patient's outcome depends on it.
It's that dedication and commitment that must be acknowledged.
Sterile Processing is hard work. It's hot and often crowded. Dirty instruments are coming in constantly and team leaders (like me) are always asking, "Hey, where's my tray?" or trying to grab instruments off the cooling racks before they're cool. The phone is ringing off the hook. But this team of dedicated professionals carries on. They keep inspecting, cleaning, disinfecting, inspecting again, assembling, and sterilizing so that every case and every patient has the sterile instruments that are needed for surgical success.
And for that, I say THANK YOU! Thank you for your commitment to quality, for your attention to detail, and for providing all surgical patients with sterile instruments and equipment. Those of us in the OR couldn't do what we do without our team members in Sterile Processing. We recognize you and your hard work this week celebrate your essential, foundational role in our success.
Keep up the great work,
Melanie
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