Journal Article

Sparking a Learning Revolution in Your Sterile Processing Department

Balch, Weston “Hank”

2018

Overview

Balch cites that access to information in the sterile processing department (SPD) has never been greater than it is currently. Although we don't yet have speech-activated virtual assistants, such as Amazon's Alexa or Apple's Siri, to answer our sterile processing questions, frontline technicians and department leaders are quickly able to access a wealth of recommendations and best practices. Without a doubt, the \"information age\" has reached out and touched the SPD. The old cliche that \"knowledge is power\" is really only half-true. Although plenty of knowledge is stored in the Library of Congress, simply sleeping on the front steps won't change you or change the world. That kind of change requires a person to actually consume information, be changed by it, and spread that change to others--almost like a fire. But instead of destroying what it touches, a learning revolution sparked by sterile processing technicians can and will change the industry for the better, resulting in patient safety, as well as personal growth and professional pride.

• Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, AAMI
• Subject: Access to information / Biomedical Engineering - education / Biomedical Engineering - organization & administration / Biomedical Engineering - standards / Health facilities / Humans / Information dissemination / Information processing / Information technology / Knowledge / Leadership / Learning / Patient safety / Personal development / Sterilization - organization & administration / Technicians