LETHBRIDGE – It’s one of the most fundamental rules of a hospital, and something patients expect when they come through Chinook Regional’s doors. In the hospital’s basement, an entire department is dedicated to thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing every piece of equipment used for patients. Manager of medical device reprocessing, Peter Brown, is in charge of that operation.
Used equipment is brought to the basement where it is hand sorted and visually inspected. After an initial cleaning, the items are put through a high powered washer. On the other side,they are then sterilized in large oven-like machines.
“It’s 270 degrees Fahrenheit for five minutes in a pre-vac cycle. so it’s going to vacuum out all the air and insert dry steam.”
Simple markers determine whether or not equipment is suitably sterilized for work. If the tag doesn’t react or there is an inkling of doubt, the entire load is sent back to be cleaned again.
“The thing that costs a penny is the most important part of this sterilization process,” says Brown.
Emergencies don’t only happen during working hours, and so the decontamination team works long hours not only to fill out immediate orders, but to prepare carts of sterilized equipment for emergencies off the clock.
“There’s always someone here, if no one’s here we’re always going to have something readily available. We always want the surgery to run smooth, for them to have the equipment they need so they can essentially go home and enjoy the rest of recuperation. When the nurses open it, they’re going to see that and say ‘yes it’s good, it’s good to go’.”
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