Ask the Educator

Have you ever had fire start in your SPD or OR? Or have you heard of a patient being burned by electrosurgical equipment? If FDA reports are any indication, most of us have experienced at least one of these events at some point in our careers. So how does this happen in such a controlled and secure environment? In this episode of the Ask the Educator Podcast, Kevin and Adam speak to Jahan Azizi ab...

In many processing departments too, much emphasis is placed purely on repetition as the means educating the staff. Unfortunately, this leaves many processing professional ill equipped to make good decisions when problems arise. In these moments, when critical thinking is required, staff members whose education lacks a true understanding of why they are doing the task the way they are will be ill p...

Have you ever had a decontamination gown soak through to your scrubs? Have you been splashed from the back side at the sink? Listen in to this episode to learn more about PB70. Co-chairs Cheron Rojo & Jill Holdsworth will explain what PB70 is and how the Protective Barriers Committee is looking to keep SPD technicians safe! Thanks for listening! Please like and subscribe for more episodes.

You may be familiar with ST79 (steam sterilization) and ST91 (flexible endoscopes), but have you heard about ST98: Cleaning validation for healthcare products? AAMI veteran Ralph Basile guides through what the new guidelines state about how manufacturers should be testing their devices to ensure clean products for patients, and how these changes could make for better manufacturer IFU's for end use...

Whether you're a veteran of flexible endoscope processing, or brand new to the field, this podcast series on ST91 is designed for you! In this episode with guest John Whelan, we discuss ST91 and the informative annexes at the back of the document. What do you do when the IFU’s for the scope don’t match the AER manufacturer IFU? Want to know more about simethicone and flexible scopes? How about mor...

Whether you're a veteran of flexible endoscope processing, or brand new to the field, this podcast series on ST91 is designed for you!  In this episode, Dr. Mary Ann Drosnock takes us through the steps of flexible endoscope quality assurance. What steps are required? How often? And does staff need to be certified to reprocess flexible scopes? Answers to these questions and more inside with the for...

Whether you're a veteran of flexible endoscope processing, or brand new to the field, this podcast series on ST91 is designed for you! What do the new standards state about how you should be transporting your scopes? And are there new evidence-based recommendations about the type of storage system that is preferred? Join us as we speak to John Whelan about these questions and more!

Whether you're a veteran of flexible endoscope processing, or brand new to the field, this podcast series on ST91 is designed for you! Why is pre-cleaning is no longer the terminology used when talking about what is done at the point-of-use? And what is a "Leak Tester Tester" (not a typo)? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this episode with our guest, John Whelan!

Whether you're a veteran of flexible endoscope processing, or brand new to the field, this podcast series on ST91 is designed for you! In this episode, Dr. Mary Ann Drosnock explains what "high-risk endoscopes" are within ST91, why the standards now recommend moving away from "manual disinfection" of flexible scopes, and the push for the industry to move towards sterilization.

Whether you're a veteran of flexible endoscope processing, or brand new to the field, this podcast series on ST91 is designed for you! Dr. Mary Ann Drosnock introduces us to the newest AAMI standard for flexible endoscope processing, ST91. From the background and history of the standard, to what the language in this document means, this is a perfect introduction for those who want to learn more ab...

How is a sterile processing technician like a gladiator? Alisha Loy recaps her outstanding international webinar appearance detailing her journey as both a patient and parent through the healthcare system, and how she found her way in a department she had no idea even existed!

What is "Education Culture" in Sterile Processing and how can we create a culture of education in SPD? How do we maintain it? And more importantly, how do we get staff to buy in? In this episode of the Ask the Educator Podcast, Kevin and Adam speak to Rebecca Peplau from Maine Health to answer these questions and more!

The pandemic certainly changed a lot in our world, but one thing it exposed for us in Central Service was the weaknesses in our supply chains and our ability to survive without our needed supplies. In this episode, guest Jamie Terran outlines the need for us to expand our supply chains and create relationships with multiple vendors so we be flexible and react quickly to our facilities' needs. A mu...

In this episode, Kevin and Adam speak to Marjorie Wall and Joseph Avila, both Directors at Memorial Hermann Health System in Texas. Don't miss this essential talk on the importance of "psychological safety" in the sterile processing department, and how Marjorie and Joseph used it to create a multidisciplinary team that accomplished amazing things! Bonus, learn how partnering with a local school ca...

In this episode, Jahan Azizi outlines the common safety hazards that we see in sterile processing departments each day, and the reasons behind why departments don't (or can't) prioritize the safety of its employees.

Do you ever wonder what consultants see when they go into hospitals across the country? Well, we can tell you from experience that it's not always pretty. In this episode of the Ask the Educator Podcast, Kevin Anderson is on the other side of the microphone for the first time as a guest on his own podcast, along with fellow educators, Malinda Elammari & Seth Hendee, as they recount their recen...

In this episode, Kevin & Adam speak with Cheron Rojo, who will be recapping his most recent International Webinar presentation on insulation testing. Learn how Cheron's personal story inspired his research and what the data tells us about whether sterile processing professionals are following the standards on insulation testing!

In this episode of the Ask The Educator Podcast, we interview Etay Gafni about Layerjot's new project: the Surgical Instrument Database, or S.I.D. for short. What is SID? How can Sterile Processing Technicians utilize it to identify our surgical instrumentation? Don't miss this episode about an exciting emerging technology that you can start using immediately in your own department! For more infor...

Malinda Elammari and Kevin Anderson continue their discussion on common peel pouch problems that are found in SPD departments. #sterileprocessing #peelpouch #sterileprocessingtech #asktheeducatorpodcast

Malinda Elammari and host, Kevin Anderson discuss peel pouches and common issues with their seals.

Adam Okada, Seth Hendee, and Kevin Anderson all discuss the need for training and documented competency for IFUs. Many departments now have access to IFU database software. However, it is common for users to struggle to find the IFU and/or the information they need within the IFU.

In this interview, Adam Okada and Kevin Anderson discuss the trouble with wet packs. What are some common errors made when troubleshooting wet packs and what are some resources to consider when tackling this frustrating problem in sterile processing? Find out in this episode of Ask the Educator.

Stephen Kovach and host Kevin Anderson discuss the current state of sterile processing in the dental industry.

Sarah B. Cruz is the guest educator on this episode and shares with us why and how mentorship may be an important step in your professional development.

Instructions for use (IFUs) can range from too simple to too cumbersome. But they can also be your key to higher quality in sterile processing. Check out this episode featuring CPD Guy, Stephen Kovach and his thoughts on IFUs.