Sharon Van Wicklin, MSN, RN, senior perioperative specialist and the lead author, spoke with Periop Insider about the new guidelines. The six evidence-based practices she discussed are listed below.
1. Record when a procedure is completed and when the cleaning is initiated.
2. Mechanically clean and process flexible endoscopes using a high-level disinfectant or a liquid chemical sterilant, or mechanically clean and sterilize, instead of the previously recommended manual soaking of endoscopes.
3. Use cleaning verification tests, not visual inspection.
4. Use a drying cabinet to store flexible endoscopes.
5. Use a team to establish a policy for maximum storage time, instead of using the five-day storage maximum previously recommended by AORN.
6. Ensure those in charge of cleaning and processing have been educated and have completed competency verification.
More articles on endoscopes:
Number of scope-related infections higher than previously reported by FDA, Senate committee finds
How to properly clean medical scopes and improve patient safety: 10 steps
FDA orders recall of 2,800 scope-cleaning machines due to infection risk
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