PROCESS THIS!, a Podcast by HSPA

In episode 57, host Jon Wood discusses mental illness, mental health myths, and the hidden needs of those with mental health issues. He elaborates on the early signs of possible problems that can challenge positive mental health and makes suggestions on how to cut some of the “noise” in one’s life to emphasize the positive. Jon also discusses coping skills for stress-filled situations and anxiety, and what can be done if you know someone who is struggling or needs help. This podcast episode has reached its 2 year mark and no longer available to receive CE credit.

In episode 56, our featured guest, Cheron Rojo, reviews his HSPA Fellowship paper that addressed inspection and integrity testing of insulated instruments—specifically, the concerns for failure and the new guidelines for testing. He discusses his path to Fellowship and personal reasons for the specific topic and elaborates on his passion for researching the insulation testing amendment in ANSI/AAMI ST79 regarding laparoscopic instruments. This podcast episode has reached its 2 year mark and no longer available to receive CE credit.

Episode 55 features our popular “What’s on My Mind” segment, with host Jon Wood discussing the importance of record retention and the departmental research needed to assess how long an organization must retain and maintain records—and how to make informed decisions on policy and procedure. Also in this episode, the Mailbox Mania segment has Jon reviewing articles from the January/February 2022 issue of PROCESS (including a recap of real-world findings from recent practice reviews performed in endoscopic processing areas, and the importance of planning for successful employee cross-training). This podcast episode has reached its 2 year mark and no longer available to receive CE credit.

Episode 54 features our popular “What’s on My Mind” segment where host Jon Wood discusses process changes and how those changes affect process failures. The holiday movie, Home Alone, serves as an example of how easily modified processes can fail and create unintended events. This episode also includes reviews of studies and articles from the December issue of AORN Journal. This podcast episode has reached its 2 year mark and no longer available to receive CE credit.

In Episode 53, host Jon Wood explores new research published in AJIC that suggests instrument processing professionals may be exposed to tissue, blood and patient fluids despite the use of personal protective equipment. The data was captured by Ofstead & Associates during the first real-world evaluation of PPE effectiveness for SP professionals. This podcast episode has reached its 2 year mark and no longer available to receive CE credit.

In Episode 52, host Jon Wood updates us on IAHCSMM Association news and also reviews information about opportunities available to our members. This episode also brings back “Mailbox Mania” to dive into the latest issue of PROCESS magazine. The fan-favorite “What’s On My Mind” segment also addresses who touches sterile packaging after it is processed— specifically, the environmental services (EVS) personnel—and whether they should be trained in competencies centered around event-related sterility. This podcast episode has reached its 2 year mark and no longer available to receive CE credit.

Episode 51 is the final segment of the Last 100 Yards series and covers the oft-overlooked topic of external transport (this team of experts found a surprisingly limited set of standards and guidance when it came to moving trays between outside sources). Proposed general guidelines for optimal storage during sterile transport of processed instruments are discussed, including vehicle type, trays, packaging, and vibrations. Quality, patient safety, and bioburden concerns are also covered due to a lack of hard-and-fast rules. This podcast episode has reached its 2 year mark and no longer available to receive CE credit.

In Episode 50, our packaging experts explore questionable Sterile Processing practices. They search for clarity on packaged medical device drops resulting in pinholes and instrument damage; risk of UV light use; and who could be considered a trained-eye inspector. Challenges with SP staff storage issues, including use of staples, rubber bands and hooks, are also brought to light. Additionally, current and updated versions of AAMI standards are addressed, along with how to apply the information to standards meetings. This podcast episode has reached its 2 year mark and no longer available to receive CE credit.

In Episode 49, the KiiP Committee discusses event-related contamination of sterile packaging. The experts take into consideration specific events that would compromise the integrity of the package shelf life. They also address transport and handling and the more complex processes of facility cleaning and storage, which also may impact sterile packaging integrity. The team reviews best practices, including “FIFO” (First In First Out), use and misuse of expiration dates, as well as ways to work through unique departmental challenges. This podcast episode has reached its 2 year mark and no longer available to receive CE credit.