The Processes that Save Lives: Washer Loading for the Win
Release Date: 11/11/2024
Beyond Clean Podcast
If you’re not advocating for your department, who will? It’s time to speak up—Texas style! On this week’s episode of Everything is Cleaner in Texas, Hank Balch flips the mic to talk with host Dusty Glass about the real-world challenges of advocating for your department—especially when upper leadership thinks everything is just fine. From sharpening your communication skills to knowing when (and how) to make your case, Dusty lays out a roadmap for speaking up with purpose and confidence. Whether you’re pushing for more resources, proposing a process change, or standing up for your...
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What happens when only one person in your department knows how to reprocess a certain tray? Or find the IFU for that rarely used scope? Or figure out why the cart washer stopped working—again? On this season finale episode of Beyond Clean’s Planet Decontam, Angela Russell joins us to tackle the real dangers of tribal knowledge in decontam. From unwritten workflows and on-the-fly training to the daily pressure of being the only one who “knows how to do that,” Angela shares strategies for building a culture of clarity, confidence, and consistency across the whole team. If your...
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On this episode of our StreetClothes podcast series, we talk to two healthcare professionals who find comfort, creativity, and a little pinch of calm in the art of baking. Whether it’s homemade bagels, a failed bundt cake, or family traditions passed down through generations, these self-taught bakers have each discovered their own flavor of joy in the kitchen. Tune in to hear how Vanessa Frank & Chelsea Wolner are keeping things sweet outside their 9-to-5s—one pie, muffin, and cookie at a time… If you like this series OR have an interesting side-hustle, passion project, or hobby you...
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SPD leaders don’t just manage—they mentor, motivate, and make big things happen. And in Texas, that’s how it’s done! This week, host Dusty Glass sits down with Felicia Sheriff for a heart-filled conversation about what it really means to lead with purpose in Sterile Processing. From creating a culture of trust to redefining employee onboarding and training, Felicia shares her tried-and-true strategies for building strong, resilient teams from the ground up. Whether you’re wrangling outdated training programs or leading the next generation of #CleanFreaks, this episode delivers real...
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Time to suit up, #CleanFreaks—because this week we’re tackling the real-world challenges of PPE! Join us as we sit down with Marcus Super from Mastel Surgical to explore what makes personal protective equipment truly essential in decontam. From one-size-fits-none challenges to breakthrough PPE innovations, Marcus explains why the right PPE is about more than just checking boxes—it's about keeping our frontline techs safe and comfortable while #FightingDirty. Together, we’re diving into budget battles, supply shortages, and that universal struggle of finding PPE that actually fits the...
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Saddle up, #TexasCleanFreaks–because this week we’re tackling one of the sneakiest budget-busters in SPD—power equipment failures! Join Dusty Glass as he sits down with Elvis Lormeus, Corporate Product Manager at STERIS, to dive into the hidden dangers behind equipment breakdowns in Sterile Processing. You’ll discover how small missed steps in reprocessing can lead to major power equipment failures—and how preventive maintenance, IFU knowledge, and smart vendor support can help your team stay a step ahead. This episode of Everything is Cleaner in Texas is packed with insights and...
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From missing instruments to delayed trays, delivering safe, on-time instrumentation is no easy feat. In this exciting series finale episode from our “Process Better” series, Mike Andresen, Director of Business Development at Medline, takes us inside the full scope of end-to-end instrument support—and the strategies that make it all work. From vendor partnerships to internal process improvement, Mike shares how collaboration across SPD and OR teams is driving smarter, more consistent results. If you're aiming to raise the standard for instrument quality in your SPD,...
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A tiny needle. A missed burr. A hidden blade at the bottom of the sink. These aren't just near misses—they're real exposure risks facing techs in decontam every day. So, how prepared is your team to respond? This week, we're joined by Garrett Hollembeak, infection preventionist and Editor-in-Chief of Transmission Control, to explore pathogen exposure through the eyes of an IP. From bloodborne pathogen kits and near-miss reporting to PPE breakdowns and employee health follow-up, Garrett shares a frontline perspective on what happens when worst-case scenarios become real. Whether you're...
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On this episode of the StreetClothes podcast series, we talk to a healthcare professional whose passion project is generating some serious buzz in his own backyard! With 31 hives and counting, this busy bee has discovered the joy—minus the occasional sting—and the liquid gold rewards of working with nature’s busiest pollinators. Tune in to hear how Cody Troutt's adventures in beekeeping bring the sweetest kind of work-life balance to life beyond the hospital… If you like this series OR have an interesting side-hustle, passion project, or hobby you do outside of your hospital day job...
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On this week’s episode of Everything is Cleaner in Texas, we’re wrangling one of the toughest, sneakiest outlaws in SPD — the one and only biofilm! Join host Dusty Glass as he sits down with STERIS’s Amy Williams to break down how this invisible threat forms, spreads, and sticks around longer than it should. From point-of-use cleaning to the risks of dried-on bioburden, Amy shares practical insights, tough truths, and the strategies every frontline team needs to know to stop biofilm in its tracks. If you’ve ever wondered how biofilm forms—or how to stop the spread—this episode is...
info_outlineYour washer’s spray arms are spinning, but are your instruments actually getting clean? On this week’s episode of Beyond Clean, "The Processes that Save Lives," we're diving into the science of proper washer loading with Anna Castillo-Gutierrez, Sterile Processing Educator at Texas Children's Hospital. From protecting your SPD’s most delicate instruments to washer testing dos and don’ts, Anna reveals why understanding the 'why' behind your washer loading techniques is crucial for patient safety and automated cleaning effectiveness. Is your department setting every cycle up for cleaning success? Get ready to turn up the volume and fire up those washers -- this is one episode you don’t want to miss!
Season 26 of Beyond Clean releases under the 1 Episode = 1 CE delivery model. After finishing this interview, earn your 1 CE credit immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week.
Visit our CE Credit Hub at https://www.beyondcleanmedia.com/ce-credit-hub to access this quiz and over 350 other free CE credits.
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