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Now that summer is here, we are experiencing longer days with warmer
weather. Having this extra daylight gives us a chance to get started on outdoor projects that have been on our mind all winter. Before you know it, you run out of time and summer projects get put off until next year. There always seems to be so much to do
in such little time.
The decontam area can feel that way on a daily basis throughout the year.
Oftentimes, work can be very busy and you don't always have the staff or resources to keep up with the workload. When this happens, surgical instruments don't get reprocessed right away. This leaves time for blood and other soils to dry on the instruments,
and cleaning them becomes a tougher task. Instrument manufacturers, AAMI, AORN and others generally recommend that decontamination of instruments begin as soon as possible so that organic soils, particularly blood, do not dry. Often, this isn’t possible due
to delays of being able to reprocess surgical instruments and equipment.
The Humipak consists of a layer of highly
absorbent material sandwiched between two layers of waterproof film. To use, place individual instruments, or an entire instrument tray, inside the Humipak, add the specified amount of water to the absorbent layer, and seal with the peel-away adhesive strip.
This creates a water tight, moist atmosphere that will prevent organics from drying over an extended period of time. Further, the transparent film allows observation of the contents and a list of contents and instructions can be written directly onto the film.
Testing has demonstrated that items will remain moist for up to three days, depending upon the type of instruments and the exact composition of the residue.
Matt Smith
Senior Manager of Marketing
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