Sterile Processing 101: Point of Use Treatment - The OR's Role in Sterile Processing
Release Date: 04/13/2026
Season 10 Rewind - Clearing the Air: Advocating for Surgical Smoke Evacuation Legislation
First Case Podcast
Season 20 launches on July 6th! In the meantime, please enjoy some of our favorite episodes from Season 10 of First Case. What is so dangerous about surgical smoke? Is it really that bad? Find out all about the very real dangers of surgical smoke in todayโs interview with Brenda Ulmer, Independent Perioperative Nurse Educator. Weโll learn whatโs lurking in the surgical smoke that weโre exposed to every day, how it can affect us and our patients, and weโll hear Brendaโs success story of passing legislation in her home state. Donโt miss the conversation! Update: Angela Hohn...
info_outline
Season 10 Rewind - Empowering Change: A Guide to Advocacy in Healthcare
First Case Podcast
Season 20 launches on July 6th! In the meantime, please enjoy some of our favorite episodes from Season 10 of First Case. What is advocacy? How can we change practices within our facility and within our state? Joining us today to talk about all things advocacy is Kay Ball, PhD, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, FAAN, adjunct nursing professor at Otterbein University. Kay is a passionate OR nurse and nursing advocate and shares her experience and insight with us to show us how we can advocate for change. Join us as we discover the importance of telling our stories, as we see the impact that our stories can...
info_outline
Season 10 Rewind - Empowering Voices: Unleashing Advocacy in Surgical Training
First Case Podcast
Season 20 launches on July 6th! In the meantime, please enjoy some of our favorite episodes from Season 10 of First Case. How do our training programs teach us to advocate for ourselves and for our patients? In this season premiere of Season 10: Advocacy Unleashed, we sit down with Chris Blevins, CST, FAST, Senior Department Chair of Surgical Technology at South College, in Knoxville, TN. In todayโs discussion, weโll learn how Chris uses her position as a Surgical Technology educator to teach her students how to find their voices, how to advocate for themselves, and how to advocate for...
info_outline
Sterile Processing 101: When Things Go Wrong
First Case Podcast
Even the best systems have moments when things go wrong. What matters most is how we respond. In the Season 19 finale of Sterile Processing 101, Jen Parrott returns to discuss what happens when things go wrong like wet packs, missing instruments, failed indicators, delays, and breakdowns in the process. This episode is a powerful reminder that solving problems requires more than urgency. It requires communication, accountability, and a culture focused on improvement instead of blame. Because when the OR and SPD work together, setbacks become opportunities to build safer systems for every...
info_outline
Sterile Processing 101: Storage, Shelf Life, and Event-Related Sterility
First Case Podcast
How much thought do we really give to packagingโฆ until something goes wrong? In today's interview, we explore the often-overlooked world of storage, shelf life, and event-related sterility with Malinda Elammari, CEO of Crown Point Consulting. From blue wrap and rigid containers to peel packs and transport practices, this episode breaks down why packaging is far more than a wrapper. In reality, it's a critical part of protecting sterility and patient safety. Listen now and discover why packaging matters! #operatingroom #sterileprocessing #ornurse #scrubtech
info_outline
Sterile Processing 101: Reading the Tray - Indicators, Tape, Filters, and What They Actually Mean
First Case Podcast
How do you know the tray you just opened is truly ready for your patient? In Episode 6 of Sterile Processing 101, we sit down with Adam Okada to take a closer look at the indicators, tape, filters, and packaging features that communicate critical sterility information before instruments ever reach the field. Join us as we discuss what these indicators do, what they donโt tell us, and why the OR team is the final line of defense before those instruments are used on a patient. #operatingroom #sterileprocessing #ornurse #scrubtech
info_outline
Sterile Processing 101: Sterilization Methods Explained - Steam, Low-Temp, & IUSS
First Case Podcast
In this week's episode, we take a practical look at the science behind sterilization with Bobby Parker from Beyond Clean. From steam cycles to low-temperature, this episode breaks down the different ways instruments are processed and discusses why each method matters. Youโre also going to gain a clearer understanding of indicators, sterility assurance, and why sterilization takes more time than many realize. But the more we understand the process, the better we can support patient safety and workflow efficiency. #operatingroom #sterileprocessing #ornurse #scrubtech
info_outline
Sterile Processing 101: Inspection & Assembly - The Art of Building a Reliable Tray
First Case Podcast
How reliable is the tray you open every day? In today's episode, we step into inspection and assembly where cleaned instruments are tested, examined, and built into the trays your OR depends on. This conversation with Kevin Anderson highlights why tray assembly is about far more than checking off a count sheet. From instrument function testing and damaged equipment to borescopes, insulation testing, and missing items, this episode reveals the science behind building a dependable tray. Listen now and gain a new appreciation for the work that happens before the tray reaches your...
info_outline
Sterile Processing 101: Decontam Deep Dive - What Happens After The Case Cart Leaves the Room
First Case Podcast
What really happens after your case cart leaves the OR? To find out, we're diving into decontam to discover the critical next step in the instrument reprocessing lifecycle. From point-of-use treatment to manual and mechanical cleaning, this episode unpacks what it actually takes to get instruments safe, clean, and ready for the next patient. Joined by Julie Gorog, OR nurse and Clinical Education Consultant with Advanced Sterilization Products, we explore why cleaning is the most crucial step in reprocessing, how biofilm forms faster than you think, and what OR teams can do to set sterile...
info_outline
Sterile Processing 101: Point of Use Treatment - The OR's Role in Sterile Processing
First Case Podcast
What happens to your instruments during the case matters more than you think. In this interview with Mike Matthews, we break down point-of-use treatment and why sterile processing actually starts in the OR, not decontam. From biofilm risk to instrument damage, this episode highlights how small actions during a case have big downstream consequences. This episode challenges the โnot my problemโ mindset and reinforces a critical truth: ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐-๐ผ๐ณ-๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐๐ปโ๐ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น - ๐ถ๐โ๐...
info_outlineWhat happens to your instruments during the case matters more than you think.
In this interview with Mike Matthews, we break down point-of-use treatment and why sterile processing actually starts in the OR, not decontam.
From biofilm risk to instrument damage, this episode highlights how small actions during a case have big downstream consequences.
This episode challenges the โnot my problemโ mindset and reinforces a critical truth: ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐-๐ผ๐ณ-๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐๐ปโ๐ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น - ๐ถ๐โ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น.
#operatingroom #ornurse #sterileprocessing #scrubtech