STERIS Corp. Invites Congress Attendees to Optimize their Perioperative Performance

STERIS Corp.’s exhibit in booth 3637 at the Association of PeriOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Congress will offer visitors interaction with holistic solutions that can make a meaningful difference in their  perioperative and sterile processing areas.

Sophisticated new STERIS programs, technologies and integration capabilities enable streamlined workflow, increased throughput, simpler automated processes and hands-off operation that frees up staff for its more important focus on patients.

“STERIS’ powerful perioperative solutions continue to evolve and offer new opportunities for our customers to achieve high-performance environments,” says Bill O’Riordan, vice president and general manager of STERIS Surgical Solutions. “We look forward to showing AORN members the advanced STERIS technologies and capabilities that are designed to help simplify and optimize their very complex worlds.”

The perioperative areas of a hospital involve many daily functions and activities beyond the surgical procedures themselves; case scheduling, department staffing, instrument reprocessing and management, room set-up and turnover activities, and reporting and communication to staff, other departments and families, to name a few. the more these activities can be streamlined or automated, the more time medical professionals have to focus on direct patient care.

STERIS perioperative solutions are designed to help hospitals create reliable, measurable high performance environments that can help increase OR and CS throughput as well as improve safety and contribute to better patient outcomes. this is accomplished through high-quality integrated technology that takes over time-consuming manual chores. it is also achieved through the collection and reporting of objective, accurate data that provides evidence for meaningful workflow improvements. although the solutions themselves are highly sophisticated behind the scenes, they are designed to be very friendly and even hands-free on the user side, to simplify their operation and automatically remove inefficiency and redundancy from the OR workflow.

Unlike other electronic board-based systems that document patient workflows manually when caregivers have the time (typically after patient care has been delivered), the RealView Perioperative Workflow Optimization Controller provides automatic time stamps at the time care is provided, which significantly reduces the need for multiple manual inputs and assures highly accurate status information. Time stamps are posted instantly to live dashboards strategically located at every point of patient care throughout the surgical department, including surgeon and staff lounges. Reliable up-to-the-minute progress updates are simultaneously provided to patients’ families. this “air traffic control” type of situational awareness optimizes predictability and throughput and helps to increase case volumes. the workflow efficiencies that result can enhance staff, patient and family satisfaction, which is important since HCAPHS satisfaction survey scores are now tied to healthcare reimbursement.

In addition, the RealView software automatically collects customizable key performance indicator (KPI) data and instantly posts statistics and trends on electronic dashboards. this KPI data is often used by management and governance boards to establish accurate and objective performance baselines and measure progress toward continuous improvement. furthermore, operating rooms with SAFE Situational Awareness for Everyone Controllers gain timely tableside patient data for each surgical case that helps optimize patient safety and enhances informed decision-making in the OR. the software automatically aggregates surgical case and patient information from the facility’s other data systems and displays it on an easy-to-read, dedicated screen in the OR. this eliminates additional data entry and phone calls, and wasted time searching for test results and other patient information.

High-performance functions are all about improving patient and staff safety, eliminating unnecessary manual tasks, enhancing  workflow, and optimizing productivity. though this may seem an unrealistic goal, it is possible with the right tools, information and  architecture, which can enable healthcare professionals to focus more completely on what they have been trained for. the RealView Perioperative Workflow Optimization Controller, SAFE Situational Awareness for Everyone system, Harmony hybrid OR and surgical  integration technologies, and many other high-quality STERIS innovations are tools that can help providers achieve real-world high  performance environments. These solutions will be demonstrated at this year’s AORN Congress.

AORN attendees are also invited to register online for a chance to win a free high quality clinical education seminar through STERIS University. Attendees can go to www.STERIS.com/AORN to register for this opportunity. Learn more about STERIS University at http://university.steris.com/sterisu/.

CareFusion Announces New Take-Apart Line of Laparoscopic Instruments

CareFusion announces its new Snowden-Pencer® laparoscopic take-apart instrument line, a portfolio of surgical instruments that can be easily disassembled to aid in cleaning and sterilization.

“Our new take-apart laparoscopic instruments can help support safer cleaning protocols for reusable medical equipment, at a potential cost savings compared to disposable instruments,” shares Jim Leitl, vice president and general manager of the Medical Specialties business of CareFusion. “This addition to our market-leading surgical portfolio introduces unique product features not previously seen in the market that will help improve the usability, versatility and comfort of this category of laparoscopic instruments.”

The new line of take-apart instruments features three components designed to be intuitively assembled and disassembled, increasing the ability to visually inspect the instrument during cleaning. the instrument also features both audible and visual cues to help ensure it has been properly and securely assembled.

“I am very satisfied with all aspects of the Snowden-Pencer take-apart instrument line, which I believe is easy to clean and easier to assemble and disassemble than other products on the market today,” states Mark Thompson, sterile processing manager for Mercy Health Center in Oklahoma City, which served as a limited market release site. “The instrument markers and snap-in-place assembly make it easy to ensure that the instrument is properly assembled. the new take-apart instrument line from CareFusion meets the  needs of our sterile processing department as well as the needs of our surgeons.”

The take-apart instrument line contains a versatile ring-handle design with an integrated ratchet mechanism, allowing surgeons to easily and quickly adjust the ratchet. the ring-handle design also accommodates both traditional precision-style grips and palm grips. the ergonomic ring handle also distributes pressure more evenly, helping reduce the potential for intraoperative hand fatigue.

“I believe the Snowden-Pencer take-apart instruments are a necessity when performing advanced laparoscopic cases,” says Dr.  Andrew M. DeWitt, a bariatric surgeon who participated in a limited market release at Princeton Baptist Medical Center in  Birmingham, Ala. “These top-of-the-line instruments are exceptional, dependable and easy to use.”

The versatility of the instrument line enables surgeons to select handles and shafts and choose from more than 55 grasper, dissector  and clamp inserts to create a customized configuration that meets the specific needs of the procedure and the surgeon. Debuting at the 59th annual Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Congress, the new take-apart instruments add to CareFusion’s comprehensive surgical offering, which includes V. Mueller® and Snowden-Pencer brand open, laparoscopic and plastic surgery instruments, the IMPRESS® Instrument Management system, Pyxis® perioperative solutions and ChloraPrep® skin preparation products.

The full portfolio of CareFusion solutions to help improve operating room effectiveness will be showcased in booth #5125 at AORN, March 24-29 in New Orleans. currently in limited market release, the Snowden-Pencer laparoscopic take-apart instrument line is expected to be commercially available in the coming months.

Cardinal Health Focuses on Operating Room Safety, Sterility and Infection Prevention at AORN Congress

At the 59th annual Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Congress, Cardinal Health will highlight its continuing support of clinician education and solutions that can help nurses drive cost-effectiveness and improve operating room (OR) outcomes.

As part of this expertise, Cardinal Health will host several continuing education (CE) activities focused on OR safety, sterility and infection prevention. Key topics include:

- Understanding facial protection: What to know and what to wear – Today’s OR personnel are confronted with the challenges of new and drug-resistant pathogens as well as potential bloodborne and inhalation hazards. this continuing nursing education activity will provide an overview of the health hazards inherent to the perioperative environment, review the various types of facial protection devices available, and review clinical considerations regarding the appropriate selection and use of facial protection devices in various surgical practice settings.   – Sterility assurance: A focus on packaging – Perioperative personnel involved in the use, care and handling of sterile surgical items must remain aware of the relationship between proper packaging and sterility assurance of the packaged items, so this continuing education activity will provide an overview of the impact of surgical site infections, address sterility assurance as it relates to the various sterilization processes, and outline key criteria for the appropriate selection and use of packaging materials. Presenters will discuss best practices related to packaging, describe the types of sterilization wraps and provide troubleshooting techniques to avoid and resolve wet packs.

- AAMI levels and surgical gowns; know if you’re protected – Perioperative nurses must be knowledgeable about barrier fabric qualities in order to select and use gowns appropriately in the OR practice setting, so this continuing education activity will provide a review of the key considerations for the appropriate selection and use of surgical gowns as an infection prevention measure for both patients and the surgical team. Presenters will review standards and guidelines pertaining to the selection and use of surgical  gowns published by various federal agencies and professional organizations, highlighting the Association for the Advancement of  Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) standard, Liquid Barrier Performance and Classification of Protective Apparel and Drapes Intended for Use in Health Care Facilities (AAMI/ANSI PB70), which provides an objective standard to select the proper level of protection needed for specific procedures. An accompanying case study also will provide the participant with the opportunity to synthesize the information and evaluate a workplace scenario related to surgical gown selection and use.

- Sharps Safety and Double-gloving go Hand in Hand – the operating room presents patient and practitioner risk due to sharps in the setting, and double-gloving plays an important role in the reduction of bloodborne infections for the patient and the practitioner.

This continuing education activity addresses the history of sharps safety initiatives and provides evidence that supports the use of double-gloving as an OR-specific mitigation strategy for sharps risk and exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

In addition to the four new courses being offered this year, the company is again offering these courses it offered at the 58th Congress:

- Topical Skin Adhesives: Safe, Strong and Secure Wound Closure – Wound healing are essential to optimal outcomes for all surgical patients, and the healing process is facilitated by proper closure of the surgical wound. this continuing education course will provide information regarding the advancements in topical skin adhesives in surgery and the clinical benefits of their use. the session will focus on butyl- and octyl-cyanoacrylate skin adhesives and will identify the advantages and disadvantages of topical skin adhesives for surgical patients.

- Retained Foreign Objects: the Cost of Leaving things behind – Retained Foreign Objects (RFOs) after surgery can result in patient morbidity and even mortality, and the cost of leaving them behind is significant for everyone involved. this continuing education activity not only will help perioperative nurses understand the ramifications and liabilities of the costs of RFOs, but it also will allow them to explore current technology and professional-recommended practices that will help them eliminate false counts and the incidence of retained foreign objects.

The aforementioned activities are sponsored by Pfiedler Enterprises through the California Board of Registered Nursing, with grant funds  provided by Cardinal Health. each course is approved for two CE credits.

Beyond offering free CE activities, Cardinal Health will further support clinician education at its AORN booth #4321 by highlighting products, supply chain expertise and productivity solutions to help improve safety and efficiency in the OR. Attendees will be invited to a “Journey through your OR,” utilizing interactive kiosks to create a customized road map of the clinical implications, products and services that matter most to them. as part of these customized tours, attendees can learn how to:

- Support patient and practitioner safety with products such as the company’s new Protexis™ Powder-Free Surgical Gloves, with both latex and synthetic options; its recently released Smart-Seal™ Surgical Mask, designed to enhance fit and help reduce fog on eyewear; SmartGown™, RoyalSilk® and Astound® Surgical Gowns; and products designed to prevent retained foreign objects, such as the SurgiCount Safety Sponge® system, a comprehensive sponge counting and documentation system that helps prevent sponges and towels from unintentionally being left in patients during surgical procedures.

- Maintain a safe and sterile environment with offerings such as the double-layer DuraBlue™ Sterilization Wrap, which helps maintain the sterility of surgical instruments; and the SAF-T Pump™ Waste Disposal system, a liquid medical waste disposal system powered entirely by tap water that eliminates the need for pouring by quickly and safely emptying canisters into the sanitary sewer.

- Prevent infection and cross-contamination with help from proprietary products such as the Cardinal Health Tiburon® Surgical Drape, which has the industry’s largest critical zone.

- Optimize OR efficiency via solutions like the Presource® Procedure Pack Program, a surg ical kitting process that helps customers increase productivity and maintain a high standard of patient care; and the fast-setting, durable butyl adhesive LiquiBand® Topical Skin Adhesive.

 Sony Advanced Video Recording Solutions for the Operating Room to be Showcased at AORN Congress 

Sony Electronics, together with Richard Wolf Medical Instruments Corp. (RWMIC), will be exhibiting an all-inclusive endoscopic solution – complete with video recording and printing for use in the operating room at AORN Congress. The complete solution will be on display during the exhibitors hours at the Richard Wolf Medical Instruments Corp. (RWMIC) booth, #3301.   RWMIC and Sony Electronics will feature a comprehensive video cart solution for the operating room. This exciting solution includes images captured by Wolf’s 5550 HD Endocam, which can be recorded on Sony’s HVO-1000MD HD Blu-ray video recorder, or create stills using the UP-DR80MD medical grade printer, or sharing live with the use of the OPSIGATE™ comprehensive web-based content management and delivery system.  ”Sony and Richard Wolf have collaborated to deliver a uniquely comprehensive endoscopic video solution,” says Evan Mix, associate product manager of video for Richard Wolf Medical Instruments Corp. “Richard Wolf’s superb HD image provided by the autoclavable 5550 HD Endocam, is now captured by the Sony HVO-1000MD digital recorder. Together, Wolf and Sony bring advanced capabilities to video and still recording for the operating room, as well as streaming the end-to-end process, deliver hassle-free acquisition and access with high quality visuals.”  When used together, the enterprise video system from Sony and the 5550 HD Endocam by Richard Wolf Medical Instruments Corp. allow surgeons and other clinicians to record, access, view, edit, organize and distribute surgical video to other surgeons and patient care stakeholders. The video from the 5550 HD Endocam camera is recorded with Sony’s HVO-1000MD HD digital recorder, bringing web-based content management and delivery of video, stills and documents throughout a hospital network using the OPSIGATE system, along with the benefit to then produce vibrant printouts from Sony’s UP-DR80MD printer. Special housing of this equipment is capably managed with Wolf’s Endocart, specifically designed for this enterprise video solution.

ASP IP/Reprocessing CE Credit Education Opportunity

For information previously posted about ASP’s educational offerings at AORN, click here.

A Sneak Peek at What’s Being Introduced at This Year’s AORN Congress