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Ask The Educator - Healthmark Podcast

 

69: Want to Take Your Sterile Prcoessing Career to the Next Level? Consider Mentorship: Interview with Sarah B. Cruz

  • 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.

 

68: How Well Do You Know Your IFUs?

  • 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.

 

67: Innovation in Instrument Protection: Interview with Guy Phipps

  • Guy Phipps, Co-Creator at SterileBits talks about the latest innovation in instrument protection that will solve many of the current industry problems from the sterile processing department to the end-user in the procedural areas.

 

66: Education is a Sterile Processing Superpower

  • The newest addition to the Healthmark Clinical Affairs team, Adam Okada shares how education played a critical role in driving quality in his sterile processing department.

 

65: Why Am I Signing This Sterilizer Printout?

  • Our Healthmark Education Specialists visit a lot of SP Departments around the United States. When we ask staff to explain the sterilizer load printout, we often get mixed answers. Malinda Elammari helps address what we should be looking for on the sterilizer printout.

 

64: Get Rid of Those Gnarly Brushes!

  • In this episode, Stephen Kovach and host Kevin Anderson discuss care and handling of reusable brushes in SPD. Too often we see inadequate brush inventory, incorrect brushes for the job, or brushes that look like they've been put through a coffee grinder. Get rid of those gnarly brushes! Take care of your brushes and they will take care of your surgical instruments!

 

63: Lead Your SPD with Storytelling: Interview with Hank Balch

  • Have you practiced the art of storytelling to lead your SPD to the greatness? You should be! Listen to this interview with Beyond Clean founder and President, Hank Balch, to find out why and how to lead with storytelling.

 

62: SPD Leadership Spotlight: Interview with Jim VanPietersom

  • In this episode, host Kevin Anderson interviews Jim VanPietersom of Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in Alaska. Jim, an IAHCSMM Leadership Award winner shares a lot of great information about how he and his team have built a high performing SPD. If you have aspirations to be a leader in SPD, don't miss this episode!

 

61: Survey Readiness Series: A Focus on Endoscopy

  • In this episode, John Whelan shares valuable information about how surveyors look at endoscopy as well as many of the common pitfalls that lead to findings by surveyors.

 

60: Quality Management Series: Tray Audits

  • In this episode, Stephen Kovach talks about a simple quality management tool that can be used to proactively increase quality and safety before it reaches the patient, the tray quality audit!

 

59: Survey Readiness Series: Transportation of Reusable Devices

  • As SP departments continue to process instruments from other internal and external facilities, the transportation of reusable medical devices becomes even more important. There are federal regulations and other things to consider when transporting instruments between facilities and departments. In this episode, Seth Hendee shares some tips to help you get ready for your next survey inspection of transporting medical devices.

 

58: Survey Readiness Series: Case Cart Auditing

  • Point of use care and transport of soiled surgical instruments and devices has been a focal point of accreditation surveys in recent years. Stephen Kovach shares simple ways to drive quality and compliance with these critical components of the instrument life cycle through case cart auditing.

 

57: Survey Readiness Series: All You Need to Know About Eyewash Stations

  • Stephen Kovach and host Kevin Anderson discuss all things related to eyewash stations in order to help listeners prepare for accreditation surveyors.

 

56: How Vested-Medical Priortizes Quality: Interview with Tracy Raymond

  • Vested-Medical is a unique third-party processing and logistics company based in the Chicago area. In this episode, Tracy Raymond shares how Vested-Medical provides a unique service for their customers with a focus on quality.

 

55: Measuring to Improve: Conversation with Jake McHugh

  • "What is measured gets improved," is a famous quote from Peter Drucker. This old quote is still very much relevant today and in the sterile processing industry. In this interview, Jake McHugh shares what he has been able to learn and accomplish with the data that his team tracks and trends in their department.

 

54: Getting to Know Marjorie Wall, Your Next IAHCSMM President-Elect

  • In this episode, host Kevin Anderson interviews Marjorie Wall, the new President-Elect of IAHACSMM. We get to know Marjorie and a little bit about her vision for the sterile processing industry.

 

53: Survey Readiness Series: Logs & Documentation

  • Cheron Rojo, Clinical Education Specialist shares some tips on how to get your logs and documentation ready for an accreditation surveyor.

 

52: Going Mobile: A Year of Podcasts

  • In this episode, Stephen Kovach and host Kevin Anderson reflect on the need for sharing information and education differently due to the effects of the pandemic.

 

51: Survey Readiness Series: Making a First Impression

  • In this episode, Cheron Rojo, Clinical Education Specialist with Healthmark Industries shares some tips for making a positive first impression with accreditation surveyors. He shares both environmental and personnel related opportunities to create this positive first impression. It's never too early to prepare for accreditation!

 

50: Unsung Heroes of SPD Series: Air Guns and PPE for Your Ears

  • In this episode, Stephen Kovach discusses two more unsung heroes of SPD, the instrument air gun and PPE for your ears.

 

49: Answering Common Peel Pouch Questions in Light of Sterilization Wrap Shortage

  • The shortage in sterilization blue wrap has led to an increase in demand for peel pouches and rigid sterilization containers. In this episode, Seth Hendee speaks to several of the common questions we hear regarding peel pouches.

 

48: Should Vendor Trays Be Condensed From Multiple Trays Down to Fewer Trays?

  • This question came in from a connection on social media. This is a great question that we don't discuss too often in the SPD industry. In this episode, Seth Hendee, Clinical Education Specialist with Healthmark Industries helps us to answer this question.

 

47: Unsung Heroes of SPD Series: Water Spray Arms & Water Guns

  • Stephen Kovach talks about another couple "unsung heroes of SPD," water spray arms and water guns. These devices are great for all things manual decontamination. While these tools are great, be sure to proceed with caution and the correct PPE!

 

46: Unsung Heroes of SPD Series: The Demagnetizer

  • For this installment of the Unsung Heroes of SPD Series, Stephen Kovach speaks about the demagnetizer and how important this piece of equipment can be to your department and your patients.

 

45: Unsung Heroes of SPD Series: The Heat Sealer

  • In this episode, Stephen Kovach talks about the importance of the peel pouch heat sealer device that we use every day in SPD. He also shares how industry standards encourage us to be including daily checks on these devices to ensure that they are working properly.

 

44: What You Need to Know About ANSI/AAMI ST79 Amendments 1, 3 & 4

  • In this episode, Healthmark Clinical Education Coordinator Seth Hendee, gives us an overview of what we need to know about ANSI/AAMI ST79 amendments 1, 3, and 4. There is some great information in here that you will want to know about. But be sure to get your copy of the ST79 amendments for your sterile processing department.

 

43: What You Need to Know About ANSI/AAMI ST79 Amendment 2

  • Cheron Rojo, Clinical Education Coordinator at Healthmark Industries shares a more in depth look at the 2nd of the 4 recent amendments to the ST79 guideline for steam sterilization.

 

42: Unsung Heroes of SPD Series: Case Cart Washer

  • The SPD department has many unsung heroes. These can be different types of supplies or equipment that we may take for granted, but play a critical role in our department. In this episode, Stephen Kovach and I discuss the importance of the case cart washer.

 

41: What You Should Know About AAMI TIR 12: Interview with Damien Berg

  • Damien Berg explains what exactly a TIR is compared to an industry standard. He also explains how the document AAMI TIR 12 will impact both the manufacturer and the end user.

 

40: The Importance of Education in Sterile Processing: Interview with Nancy Chobin

  • In this episode, Kevin Anderson interviews Nancy Chobin, CEO of Sterile Processing University. Nancy shares her thoughts on all things related to education in sterile processing, including certification and the need for more development for managers of sterile processing.

 

39: Breaking News: Four ANSI/AAMI ST79 Amendments Released

  • AAMI has released four amendments to the Comprehensive Guide to Steam Sterilization (ANSI/AAMI ST79:2017). In this episode, host Kevin Anderson shares a high level overview of the latest amendments.

 

38: Inspect What to Expect - Endoscope Edition: Interview with Bernie Spencer

  • Bernie Spencer shares principles learned while working 25 years in the automotive industry and how he applies them to the device processing world that he has been working in over the last 8 years. In this episode he specifically speaks about how he applies these principles learned to the endoscope channel brushing process.

 

37: What's So Special About Cleaning Brushes?

  • In this episode, Kevin Anderson speaks with Healthmark Laboratory Technician, Audrey McDonald. She introduces ASTM International standards that apply to testing the cleaning efficacy of brushes that are used to clean medical devices. She also shares how brushes are tested, specifically brushes that are meant to clean instrument channels, or lumens.

 

36: Commit to Education

  • The sterile processing industry continues to evolve. It is important that whether we are certified or not, that all of us in the device processing world are committed to education. What are we learning and what are we teaching others. Host Kevin Anderson shares some practical ways to get involved in education in 2021.

 

35: What a Gift!

  • In the spirit of the holiday season, Kevin Anderson shares a personal message about one of the greatest gifts we can give.

 

34: What is a KPI and Why is it Important?

  • Healthmark educators Seth Hendee and Cheron Rojo discuss what a KPI is and how they are important in device processing.

 

33: What Do We Need to Know About Insulation Testing?

  • In this episode, Educators Seth Hendee and Cheron Rojo talk about the basics of insulation testing and what we need to know.

 

32: Five States Now Require Certification for Sterile Processing Techs, What's Next? Interview with Tony Monaco

  • Pennsylvania has just made news with the passing of a law that will require sterile processing techs to have certification. This is great news of course! But where do we go from here? It has been twenty years since New Jersey became the first state to pass a similar law/regulation. How do we continue to elevate the level of education in the industry? In this interview, we speak with Tony Monaco, one of the leaders that led the charge for certification in New Jersey and learn from his insights on how we can move forward.

 

31: The TOSI Story with Stephen Kovach

  • Stephen Kovach shares his experience with TOSI as a former manager and how it became an invaluable tool for him when troubleshooting his faulty washer disinfectors.

 

30: The WFHSS Digital Day 2020: Interview with Harry Oussoren

  • The World Federation for Hospital Sterilization Sciences (WFHSS), like most organizations that provide a conference type education program, has had to pivot and offer their conference in a digital format. Harry Oussoren shares what we need to know about the Digital Day education program coming up this November 26th.

 

29: The Ten Factors Of Cleaning Series Wrap Up (Part 11)

  • In this episode Stephen Kovach discusses the origin of the ten factors of cleaning as well as why these factors are so important.

 

28: What Can We Learn From The Blue62 Story: Interview With Rod Parker

  • In this interview, Rod Parker, Senior Principal Scientist at Stryker, gives us a behind the scenes look at the development of the Blue62 detergent. He also helps us to answer the question... is there one detergent that is ideal for all circumstances?

 

27: Land of Lost Instrumentation: How to Handle the Mystery of Missing Instruments

  • Cheron Rojo and Kevin Anderson discuss ways to handle the common problem of missing instruments.

 

27: Land of Lost Instrumentation: How to Handle the Mystery of Missing Instruments

  • Cheron Rojo and Kevin Anderson discuss ways to handle the common problem of missing instruments.

 

26: Key Points About Cleaning Verification

  • Ralph Basile and host Kevin Anderson discuss cleaning verification. When used correctly, cleaning verification products can be a great tool for auditing your cleaning process. However, it is important to understand the limitations of these important tools so that we don't misuse them.

 

25: The Ten Factors of Cleaning Series (Part 10): Chemistries

  • Stephen Kovach and Kevin Anderson cover the last of the ten factors of cleaning and discuss the importance of cleaning chemistries.

 

24: The Ten Factors of Cleaning Series (Part 9): Type of Soil

  • In this episode, Stephen Kovach explains how the type of soil you are trying to clean can impact the effectiveness of your cleaning process.

 

23: The Ten Factors of Cleaning Series (Part 8): Mechanical

  • Stephen Kovach and Kevin Anderson continue their 10 factors of cleaning series. In this episode, they discuss the mechanical factor impacts the outcomes of the cleaning process.

 

22: The Ten Factors of Cleaning Series (Part 7): Dilution/Concentration

  • In this edition of the Ten Factors of Cleaning series, Stephen Kovach explains how the dilution and concentration of detergents is one of the critical factors of cleaning reusable medical devices.

 

21: The Ten Factors of Cleaning Series (Part 6): Water

  • Stephen Kovach speaks with host Kevin Anderson about how water is one of the 10 factors of cleaning and what we need to know about it.

 

20: Finding a Safe and Effective Way to Process PPE

  • Dr. Kaye and Dr. Roberts, from University of Michigan Medicine, share their story of multidisciplinary collaboration that led to finding the safest and most effective way to process n95 masks.

 

19: The Ten Factors of Cleaning Series (Part 5): Temperature

  • Stephen Kovach shares how temperature makes one of the ten critical factors of cleaning, and why you should be monitoring water temperature.

 

18: The Ten Factors of Cleaning Series (Part 4): Standards

  • Kevin Anderson and Stephen Kovach continue the 10 factors of cleaning series, and discuss how industry standards impact our cleaning processes.

 

17: The Ten Factors of Cleaning Series (Part 3): Human Factors

  • In this episode, Stephen Kovach and Kevin Anderson discuss a third factor of the ten factors of cleaning... the human factor.

 

16: The Ten Factors of Cleaning Series (Part 2): The Device

  • In this episode, Stephen Kovach and Kevin Anderson discuss how the device design is one of the ten factors that effect the cleaning process.

 

15: What are the Ten Factors of Cleaning? (Part 1)

  • In this episode, Stephen Kovach introduces the ten factors of cleaning. Then, Stephen takes a deeper dive into the IFU as one of the factors of cleaning.

 

14: What Does a Brush Specialist Do?

  • In this episode, we talk with one of the members of Healthmark's sales team, Abby Markielewicz. She shares with us some of the unique services that she provides to help customers get the brushes they need.

 

13: What is Delayed Processing of Endoscopes?

  • In this episode, Kevin Anderson and John Whelan discuss delayed endoscope processing. John answers the questions, what is delayed processing and how do we do it correctly?

 

12: Listener Questions and Feedback

  • Kevin and Stephen Kovach discuss customer questions and feedback to previous episodes. Topics covered in this episode include knowing your ultrasonic IFU before you purchase, and how to manage your water quality.

 

11: Hands Across the Water: An Interview with Harry Oussoren and Adam Okada

  • In this special edition episode we talk with Harry Oussoren, Sterile Medical Device Expert from the Netherlands, and Adam Okada, SPD Educator from California. Harry and Adam share what has changed in their respective departments during the pandemic, and whether or not those changes will last after the pandemic.

 

10: How do I Know that my Ultrasonic is Cleaning Lumened Devices Effectively?

  • Ultrasonic irrigators are indispensable pieces of equipment in any SPD. However, all of our cleaning equipment is subject to failure. We need to make sure that our equipment is working properly. In this episode, we talk with Stephen Kovach about how to know if our ultrasonic cleaners are cleaning the inside of lumens adequately.

 

9: Bonus Episode - Interview with Infection Preventionist Jackie Daley

  • Jackie shares with us observations and lessons learned regarding PPE during the pandemic.

 

8: What is Cavitation, and How do we Know Our Ultrasonic has Adequate Cavitation?

  • Stephen Kovach explains ultrasonic cavitation, how to test for it, and why it is important.

 

7: What Should be Done About Water Quality as Surgical Schedules Begin to Ramp up Again?

  • Surgical schedules are picking up again, and in some cases, very quickly. We talk with Seth Hendee about what happens to our water when our equipment is not in use, and what we can do to ensure the water quality is where it needs to be to avoid any negative impact to our patients. For further guidance on water quality, check out the reference AAMI TIR34.

 

6: Bonus Episode - Interview with Michelle Hoste

  • Michelle Hoste, SPD Manager and military veteran, shares how her team collaborated with other departments and Infection Control to come up with a way to safely process n95 masks, keeping their frontline equipped with the PPE they need to combat the pandemic.

 

5: How to Ensure Effective Competency Training

  • Guest Educator, Seth Hendee speaks about how to ensure proper competency training. Seth was formerly an Educator for a large SPD and had a lot of experience performing competency trainings. He shares two main tips to help us do it right.

 

4: How Do I Know My Endoscope Leak Tester is Working?

  • In this episode, we talk with Cheron Rojo, Clinical Educator at Healthmark about leak testers. Leak testing is a critical step in endoscope processing, but like many steps in the cycle of reusable medical devices can be prone to failure. Cheron shares with us great insight into how we make sure our leak tester is working.

 

3: How to Ensure Proper Cleaning of Arthroscopic Shavers - Part 2

  • In this episode, we finish our conversation with Healthmark's Educator Stephen Kovach about how to ensure proper cleaning of arthroscopic shavers.

 

2: How to Ensure Proper Cleaning of Arthroscopic Shavers - Part 1

  • In this episode, Kevin Anderson and Stephen Kovach discuss the keys to ensuring proper cleaning of arthroscopic shavers.

 

1: Ensuring Safe Transport of Contaminated Items in Light of Covid-19

  • The COVID-19 pandemic has led to many sterile processing departments being asked to reprocess items that are outside the norm. In this episode, we ask Stephen Kovach how SPD can ensure proper transportation and labeling of contaminated items during these unprecedented times.