Rigid reusable container systems are designed for a long useful life. That is why they are a good investment. We know of containers that have been in continuous use for more than 15 years, but nothing lasts forever. With common sense care and handling you too can get maximum longevity from your containers. 

A quick look into sterile storage can be a real eye opener. Do you see shelf after shelf with instrument sets and medical devices all in blue wrap? Do you have a container system that is turning colors, easily dents, and is often out for repair? Choosing a rigid re-usable container system can pay for itself, if it is durable, repair free, sustainable by design, and universally compatible with devices and sterilization modalities.

In today’s blog, we debunk the veiled threats and coercive tactics used by medical equipment manufacturers. How often have you been told, that to avoid VOIDING your warranty, you must only use the manufacturer’s consumable products and only have their techs work on your equipment? All the time, right? So, whether it’s the washer/disinfector, the sterilizer, or the ultra-sonic cleaner, you’re captive to the manufacturer’s warranty or service agreement.

Octopuses show us alternate paths of thinking and wildly different ways of being, by demonstrating that intelligence is more varied and emotions more universal than we imagined, the octopus stretches our moral universe. With the growing globalization of today’s economy, achieving diversity in the workplace is a smart move to make. The meaning of diversity has become more complex. A diversified workforce includes people with a variety of differences that include education and a range of work experiences and perspectives that can benefit the team.

With 557,014,072 cases world wide and 88,847,699 cases in the U.S. alone, COVID19 is far from over.

The new variants raise questions… BA.4 and BA.5 are the fastest-spreading COVID-19 subvariants yet. The two latest versions of omicron appear to evade protection from vaccines and previous infections more easily than any others before.

Believe it or not many facilities are still wrapping instrument sets. A torn wrapped tray can be detrimental to the OR schedule and to patients. Recently, a customer informed us that a U.S. veteran was scheduled to have surgery. The patient commuted with his family several hours to the large metropolitan hospital where surgery was scheduled, taking time off work and paying for hotel accommodations in the area.

Tips to help you stay current for your professional career and personal growth. As a healthcare professional you’ve already made an investment of time and money into your career. Take a moment to reflect on your hard work and commitment, now congratulate yourself, you have accomplished a tremendous amount. But it doesn’t end there, according to CBSPD and HSPA, “the continuous renewal of certifications is crucial.” Here is how we can help...

Ever wonder why there is so much stuff in your department? I just went through my closets and got rid of the plastic bags hiding the clothes I haven’t worn in years and shoes that have collected over decades. First, I don’t wear heels anymore and knowing my age it would be downright dangerous. There are many reasons why we should simplify and make do with less at home and in the SPD. Sometimes it’s clear, like supply chain shortages and sometimes it’s because we’re questioning our toll on the environment or when we see our inventory shelves with simply too much stuff. How much of the stuff has never been used or is expired? But there are gray areas, too, holding onto stuff you think you might need or being convinced to buy something you don’t need. It’s easy to convince ourselves that “wants” are needs when we just really, really “want” something!

Gels can preserve tissue and bioburden under a tough to remove clear coating. Jurassic Park, the book and movie was based on the notion that mosquitos were so well persevered in amber that dinosaur DNA could be recovered after millions of years. Well, pre-cleaning gels work much the same way, after a short time a sticky skin forms on the gel, trapping the debris beneath and becoming virtually impervious to cleaning. Enter the pre-cleaning gel, easy to use, and convenient, made to prevent soil from drying onto used instruments; is it wet or just an illusion?

Sponges may not be the best way to pre-treat endoscopes at patient’s bedside. There are 54 billion bacterial cells on a single cubic centimeter of the average kitchen sponge. They are breeding grounds for all types of germs and bacteria. A common sponge’s spatial partitioning – the way it’s divided into different sectors of various sizes – caters to bacteria that prefer isolated environments and those that prefer to be around other organisms as well, making it the best of both worlds for microbial communities.