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On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in to learn about why mission matters in Sterile Processing: "But if you've been a CS/SPD leader for more than five minutes, you know that getting all members of the team to "buy-in" to the larger mission and vision of your department is not an easy feat. However, cultivating a team full of these mission-believers is one of the most important things you could be doing as a CS/SPD leader. If you get this right, you can see transformation of your teams and individuals that you would have never dreamed possible. Attitude, teamwork, trust, customer service, professionalism, enthusiasm. All of this is impossible without men and women who know, understand, and apply the larger mission of your department...." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in to learn about how to balance schooling and working to get to where you want to be in Sterile Processing: "Whether that's starting an Associates program for surgical technology, finishing off a Bachelors in nursing, or putting the finishing touches on a Masters in Business -- working, schooling, and dealing with life is always a delicate balance in the world of CS/SPD. I started my own career in Sterile Processing as a frontline technician working second shift and finishing off graduate school in the mornings. I remember the days of of squeezing in chapters of my textbook into my 15 minute breaks, and treasuring the few weekends that I didn't have to work, so I could study instead...." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in to learn about what NOT to do when it comes to email communication in Sterile Processing: "Is this everything you ever needed to know about email? Not even close. But hopefully it will help save you from one of those long walks of email-shame I had to take early on in my SPD career. You don't have to learn the hard way like some of us have. And remember, at the end of the day, each email you send becomes a part of your living, breathing resume -- so make sure you give yourself the best possible chance to be understood and taken seriously as the Sterile Processing professional you want to be..." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in to learn about why activity alone won't save your department: "So, how do we cope with this ever-present flurry of processing activity? Vendors wanting meetings, surgeons wanting answers, staff wanting attention, bosses wanting efficiency, and us wanting to succeed. Before I throw out a few answers to this, let's take a look at the most common, but least effective response to the overwhelming nature of our jobs as modern-day microbial dragon slayers..." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in to learn about how your hospital may be putting it's Sterile Processing team and their patients at risk: "Chances are high that there may be unmet needs sitting in plain sight in your facility's CS/SPD department. Even if this team made it through your most recent infection control tracer or tri-annual survey, there may still be issues that need addressing, capital that needs investing, and collaboration that needs implementing. Because many CS problems occur out of sight of perioperative leaders and physically removed from frontline patient care, it can be easy for hospital administrators to underestimate the real scope of their challenges and the fundamental importance they play. Miss something here and the best sterile technique in the world, the most prestigious surgeon, the fastest turnover time in the country will mean nothing. The headline will read "Dirty Surgery," and that's all that will matter to patients in your city..." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in to learn about onboarding best practices for Sterile Processing technicians: "With limited time and resources, most hospitals just can't afford an extended orientation process for frontline instrument technicians. So what are you to do? How do you take the raw material of an earnest, critical thinking new hire and turn them into the next Sterile Processing Leonidas, to stand against the invading forces of bioburden (and win)? Here are a few onboarding-weapons to help equip your preceptors and newbies for the coming microbial war:..." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in to learn about linking productivity with pay days in Sterile Processing: "If you're not already on the phone to your Director of Finance I've got even more ammunition for you. These numbers we're talking about aren't even touching the savings you could see in doing away with the need for costly overtime (at time and a half -- upwards of $3,000/month) and the competitive edge it would give your department both in retaining and recruiting the absolute top talent in your area. It would be a game changer. If you're not sold on the idea, that's fine too. But the point I'm getting at is this: excellent techs -- both in quality and speed -- deserve to be rewarded and incentivized for excellent work. Departments who can figure out a creative way to do this will win the battle for cost-efficient quality that's currently raging across every Sterile Processing department in the country..." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in for encouragement around taking control of out-of-control consignment inventory in your Sterile Processing department: "If you feel like you're drowning in consignment trays, I hope this post gives you a few ideas on how to start the long, hard swim to the shore. If you're wanting to put your data collection and consignment process into overdrive, check out a few of the loaner/consignment management systems on the market -- and look into leveraging them to improve your facility's consignment management. Whatever you do, don't let your vendors forget that consignment is a privilege, not a right -- and be willing to break the chains if you need to...." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in for a game plan for excelling as an SPD Traveler AND a department who hires them: "When a new traveler arrives to begin a contract at your facility, don't forget these folks are not robots. They may be highly trained and highly experienced technicians, but they are still human beings. Their onboarding process may have to be accelerated, but it needs to be there, nonetheless. You should factor in adequate time for them to get acquainted with your department, staff, and particular "way of doing things," before asking them to work independently. And don't forget, whatever process or cultural issues that were already present in your department will most likely still be there when a traveler arrives. Be particularly cognizant of any permanent staff that may be tempted to be unwelcoming or overbearing toward these new additions to your team. Happy, well-adjusted travelers don't happen in spite of how you lead -- they happen because of it.... Subscribe to Beyond Clean Articles on the Go on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, and anywhere else podcasts are heard. #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in for tips on tackling your missing instrument challenges: "Few things are more frustrating for front line techs than to be processing along at full speed, noticing an instrument is missing, and then knowing it will take them forever to find the proper replacement. Whether you utilize a drawer system, peg board, or bin storage for your backup instrumentation -- the key to success here is organization. Personally, I'm a fan of bin storage because it allows you to see the instruments (unlike the drawer system) and removing an instrument is not as difficult as with a crowded peg board (plus you can really make a bin system look sharp if you want to). The cultural impact of an organized backup inventory can mean the difference between a tech who happily spends 20 seconds finding the exact needleholder they need and a tech who begrudgingly leaves their table for a 10 minute excursion to the graveyard of productivity, a.k.a. the rat's nest of a backup wall you have. Don't make your techs choose between a productive night and completed surgical trays. They should want and be able to do both..." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in for ideas on how to win over your surgeons to become advocates for your Sterile Processing team: "There are few better ways to set off a stressed out surgeon than to consistently fail him or her in the area of surgical instrumentation. Whether it's a set that's unsterile for her first case, a scope that is cloudy for the umpteenth time, or an untimely delay in delivering the additional needle holders he needs to replace the ones that aren't locking properly -- understandable frustration is sure to follow. You may not hear the grumbles down in SPD, but the cultural damage is certainly done and it runs deep. But there's good news. There's light at the end of this gloomy OR hallway. Frustrated surgeons can be won over, and when they are, they can be one of the most powerful agents of change to propel your Sterile Processing department to the forefront of cultural excellence in the minds of the OR team. Let's talk about some key ways your SPD team can get this done…" Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in for creative encouragement to read your copy of AAMI ST79: "You've heard it said that it takes a village to raise a child. I would argue that it takes a village to read the standards. Not only was ST79 crafted by a diverse group of Sterile Processing and healthcare leaders across the country, but that's also the best way to read it! Why not get your local or regional Sterile Processing organization to do a monthly conference call where you all get on the phone and talk through one chapter per month of ST79 -- inviting feedback and comments on each recommendation. Approaching the standards in this way would allow for the kind of community interpretation that they were meant to have, and it will give outlet to the stories, tips, and testimonials that we all bring to the table through our individual years of Sterile Processing experience..." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in for tips on how to create a competitive Sterile Processing resume: "This resume you are working on could be the road map for all kinds of future career growth. Although you may be thinking it's just for an entry level Sterile Processing position, if you were to land the job, you could very well become the most viable candidate for that supervisor or manager position a few years down the road. The point is, your resume is more important than this one interview. So be willing to invest the amount of time in it that you need to do it excellently..." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in for tips on becoming the Chick-fil-A of your surgical team by focusing on service excellence in SPD: "You know your customers better than anyone else, so be intentional about hiring SPD techs according to your overarching department emphasis on customer service. Include questions in your interview process about how the candidate has handled an irate customer in the past, or ask them to describe a time when they had to communicate complex information to someone outside their department. This goes beyond the typical focus on brains (technical knowledge) and brawn (physical ability to do the job), and instead, gets to the heart of their ability to be a service oriented technician. Chick-fil-A hires like this, and so should we...." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in for encouragement and recommendations on your hunt for Sterile Processing all-stars at your hospital: "Not only is the physical location of the Sterile Processing department in the basement of the hospital, but it is often in the basement of the broader healthcare consciousness. Society knows about doctors and nurses, x-ray techs and anesthesiologists - but who ever heard of a sterilization tech? Is that, like, for people? Even with these excuses for why all-stars don't just show up at an SPD manager's door, there are a number of very practical things that department leaders can be doing to ensure their positions are filled with the best technicians on the market...." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in for tips on addressing all the "time" requirements in your Sterile Processing department: "While the days of pocket watches may be behind us, and wrist watches are a no-no for infection control reasons, the decontamination area of your SPD should still be replete with plenty of ticks and tocks. Besides knowing how to clean (which is challenging all by itself), frontline reprocessing technicians must also be given the tools to know how long to clean. This is the only way to ensure the time spent during your next accreditation survey is a pleasant and compliant one...." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, listen in for insights around overcoming service failures in your Sterile Processing department: "In the world of Sterile Processing, you rarely get the opportunity to build your reputation or the reputation of your departments from scratch. And even if you could, because mistakes are part of human nature, your SPD team will have to overcome a process failure at some point in their professional experience. But those failures should be seen as the exception, not the rule – in the eyes of your teams and your customers. They are opportunities from which to learn....." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in for insight into preparing your department's Sterile Processing technicians for growth opportunities right where they are: "As you interview for entry level SPD tech positions, always be thinking about what inherent qualities this person has for future leadership opportunities -- and, if you can, try to hire folks who are smarter than you. This will mean that you look for more qualities in a potential candidate than just the ones that will make them a high performing tech. Just because someone is a great tech, does not mean they would make a great SPD leader. Hire those candidates who demonstrate personal accountability, ability to collaborate with diverse teams, willingness to accept additional responsibilities as they learn the job, and other big-picture skills that make them stand out from the average worker-bee...." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this episode of Articles On-The-Go, tune in for insights on the challenges of tracking Sterile Processing productivity: "How many of your facility administrators really know what your Sterile Processing team does? Or, perhaps a better question, how many of them know how long it takes for your team to do what they do? How long should it take? Is there even a good answer to that question? First, let's start with some bad answers to these Sterile Processing productivity questions...." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing

On this series premiere of Articles On-The-Go, listen in for an important conversation around Sterile Processing compensation: "Like it or not, we live in a universe where money is used to signify value. While the best things in life may very well be free, the hard work of a skilled tradesman should not be. There is a reason that many of the best and brightest of our departments are leaving to rep for device companies, work in equipment sales, and take up contracts as traveling/agency technicians-for-hire. It's because that's where the money is at. That's where recognition has been translated into remuneration. At the end of the day, anyone who works in this industry will tell you that you shouldn't be in Sterile Processing if you're not ultimately here for the patient. Patient safety should always be our guiding star and inner-drive. However, even if what you do is a labor of love, you should still be able to make a living doing it..." Subscribe to follow Articles on the Go through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and anywhere else podcasts are found. #SterileProcessing