Instrument Set Decontamination Workflows Designed for Success in Sterile Processing: The Official Voice of Perioperative Nursing

Davis, Courtney Mace M. B. A. C. M. Q. O. E. C. H. L. Crcst Spear Joan M. M. B. A. R. N. Cnor Crcst

In sterile processing, several factors can result in confusion and unpredictable quality outcomes in surgical instrument sets, including the large number of instruments to manage, the complexity of certain instruments, and the multiple instructions for cleaning solutions and cleaning equipment for use. At a multihospital health system, the director of sterile processing had a vision that involved designing standard decontamination workflows and standardized cleaning pathways based on quality concepts to support patient safety. When there was a pause in elective surgeries in the spring of 2020 as a result of the spread of coronavirus disease 2019, sterile processing personnel became available to participate in a project to create and test these new standardized cleaning pathways and decontamination workflows. This article provides an overview of the inception and execution of this project and how instrument cleaning and decontamination was streamlined to promote a more efficient workflow for sterile processing.