CENTRAL PROCESSING DEPT.

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Stratford, Ontario, Canada
We are an important part of the medical family but seldom seem to be appreciated for what we do. It's our job to make sure the instruments are cleaned and sterilized properly to allow our medical teams to perform surgeries without worry of infection. We also prepackage items that are one-time use. From a doctor's preference card, we pick all the items they have requested to preform each surgery. We also fold and package the linens used to drape patients during surgical procedures. In other areas of the hospital, we supply each floor with sterile and sanitized items they need to complete their functions as well. We are responsible for picking up soiled instruments from each floor twice a day, clean them, reprocess them and then deliver them back to the floors. As you can see our job is an important one. We are proud of the work we do and will continue to work hard to make your medical experiences safe and germ free!!

October 23, 2008

~THE FIGHT CONTINUES~

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THE INTERVIEW!

THE INTERVIEW!

~ DUTIES OF A CPD TECH ~

Sterile processing technicians' primary responsibility is infection control. Their duties vary from one position to another but, in general, they:

* sort, disassemble, clean and disinfect trays, instruments, carts, supplies and equipment
* select and use appropriate cleaning methods
* load, operate and maintain cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing equipment
* perform standard tests to monitor the effectiveness of sterilization procedures
* sort, assemble and package medical/surgical instruments and equipment
* report damaged or malfunctioning equipment and supplies
* store and rotate sterilized items
* provide instrument sets for surgical procedures and case carts for booked and emergency surgery
* inventory, select and replenish supplies to medical/surgical carts on a regular basis, and monitor quota levels and changes in demand levels
* make appropriate substitutions when necessary and report problems regarding availability of instruments and supplies
* use computers to order supplies, and process and maintain records
* communicate with operating room personnel to provide required instruments and surgical supplies.

EAP

EAP

~RESPONSIBILITIES~

~RESPONSIBILITIES~

~BACTERIAL SPORES~

A few species of bacteria have the ability to produce highly resistant structures known as endospores (or simply spores). These resist a range of hazardous environments, and protect against heat, radiation, and desiccation. Endospores form within (hence endo-) special vegetative cells known as sporangia (singular sporangium). Diseases caused by sporing bacteria include botulism (Clostridium botulinum), gas gangrene (Clostridium perfringens), tetanus (Clostridium tetani) and acute food poisoning (Clostridium perfringens, again) All these bacteria are 'anaerobic'.

The aerobic sporing bacteria can also cause disease. Anthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis. Bacillus cereus causes two types of food poisoning.



THOSE POLITE LITTLE FELLERS

THOSE POLITE LITTLE FELLERS

THE CYCLE CONTINUES

THE CYCLE CONTINUES

DIARY OF A MINOR INSTRUMENT SET

1:pm

Big day ahead tomorrow. The weekend was quiet, but this week will be back to the regular grind, with six procedures in four days. I’ve been cleaned and sterilized and am sitting on the case cart, ready to go to the OR. There is a case scheduled for first thing tomorrow morning.

4 p.m.

My case cart is moved to the operating room and left until the procedure begins in the morning. I’m in sterile packaging in a sterile room that is already prepped for the first patient.

Day 2. 9 am.

On my case cart I am wheeled into the operating room where a surgical nurse sets me up. The surgery takes about an hour of my time.

10 a.m.

The case is finished and the patient has been moved to the recovery area. I’m being placed back on the case cart, which is now considered dirty. I’m sent back to the decontamination area, where I just spent part of yesterday. I am sprayed down with an enzematic soak and placed into a soiled instrument transport cart where I wait until someone comes to transport me and the rest of the soiled instruments to the decontamination room downstairs.

10:30 a.m.

I am then sorted and inspected initially, but most instrument sets can be put in a washer, which will go through a sonic-type wash, very similar to a dishwasher. Then I will also be ‘milked’ in there. Milk is a lubrication you put on the instruments. After being lubricated, I am dried, and then I come through on our processing side. It’s about a 30- minute process from when we start hand-washing until it comes out of the washer.

10:45 a.m.

I am now placed carefully in my instrument tray after each part of me is checked to be functioning properly. I am checked for sharpness, pitting or any other damage I may have sustained. Next I am placed in my storage container with a chemical indicator strip and sealed.

11:10 a.m.

I enter the sterilization area. However, there are some other items ahead of me today, so I’m left to wait for a few minutes.

11:30 a.m.

I am placed on a cart and pushed into the sterilizer. Sterilization is a 45-minute process, just using a regular steam sterilizer.

12:20 p.m.

Out of the sterilizer, I’m left to cool for a while.

12:45 p.m.

It’s been 20 minutes, so I’m put onto a transport cart ready to be transported to the sterile supply room.

3:00 p.m.

I am now placed on a shelf until I am needed for the next procedure.