Self-study available for endoscope disinfection
Self-study available for endoscope disinfection
How do you ensure that your flexible gastro intes tinal endoscopes have been properly reprocessed and disinfected? Five professional associations have published a position statement and recommendations to clear up the confusion. And same-day surgery managers now have access to an educational module that can be used as part of an annual competency review.
The Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates in Chicago designed the self-study module, which includes a video, learning guide, and poster with guidelines.
"There's a written protocol that walks people through step-by-step how to clean, disinfect, rinse, and store their endoscopes," says Sallie B. Walker, RN, CGRN, clinical nurse III in outpatient services at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, KY.
Same-day surgery managers can use the module for annual competency review, as called for in standards drafted by the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in Manchester, MA. In fact, Walker asks her staff to see the video, review the written standards, and take a test before they are observed processing scopes.
The module - and the position paper it stems from - emphasizes the importance of proper scope cleaning before disinfection, Walker says. "If you do that, you can remove more than 90% of the bowel burden." When using glutaraldehyde or any other reusable product, it also is important to test for minimum effective concentration of the solution, Walker says. (For a list of pointers from the module, see story, below.)
[Editor's note: The self-study module, Endoscope Cleaning and High-level Disinfection, costs $63.90 for members of the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates and $235.90 for nonmembers, including shipping and handling. The module provides 1.1 nursing contact hours. For more details, contact the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associ ates, 401 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611-4267. Telephone: (800) 245-7462. Fax: (312) 321-5194. World Wide Web: http://www.sgna.org.]
Subscribe Now for Access
You have reached your article limit for the month. We hope you found our articles both enjoyable and insightful. For information on new subscriptions, product trials, alternative billing arrangements or group and site discounts please call 800-688-2421. We look forward to having you as a long-term member of the Relias Media community.