top of page
Contact us now for a free 30-minute consultation
Healthcare Articles from the Press
2/12/26
OR/SPD Power Duos: Inside Two Children’s Hospitals Redefining Surgical Collaboration
Kara Nadeau
Sterile processing and surgical services are inextricably linked. Yet in many organizations, the sterile processing department (SPD) and operating room (OR) still function at arm’s length, interacting mainly when something goes wrong.
Two children’s hospitals are working differently. At Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Nemours Children’s Hospital in Wilmington, Del., leadership “power duos” spanning perioperative services and SPD are building intentional, structured collaboration that reaches from the C-suite to the frontline.
2/01/26
The Invisible Threats: An IP's Guide to Advocating for Sterile Processing
Author(s)Brenna Doran, PhD, MA, ACC, CIC, JR Santana, CRCST
The pressure in the sterile processing department (SPD) is constant. They are continually tasked with improving efficiency and reducing turnaround times. When the day runs smoothly, the SPD team, with its daily rhythm of anticipating and overcoming obstacles, makes it all look effortless. But sometimes, even with the best planning, a far greater, unexpected challenge emerges, one that is systemic and threatens patient safety. These unseen threats leave an SPD team navigating a challenge with no easy answers. As an infection preventionist (IP), understanding these hidden struggles is key to becoming their most valuable advocate.
01/25/26
Beyond the Back Room: Why Certified Sterile Processing Technicians Deserve Recognition, Reclassification, and Better Pay
Mark Duro
In the high-stakes world of healthcare, success is often measured by what patients see— doctors, nurses, spotless rooms, and advanced surgical suites. But behind every successful procedure lies a group of highly skilled, often unseen professionals: sterile processing technicians (SPTs). These technicians are the first and last line of defense in patient safety, responsible for ensuring every surgical instrument and device is clean, sterile, functional, and safe for use.
01/19/26
Turning Errors into Learning Opportunities
By Debra Sams, BA, AST, CRCST
Everyone makes mistakes, but they can have devastating consequences in healthcare, where they can impact patient and employee safety. This is certainly the case for errors made in a demanding, high-risk environment like the sterile processing department, where positive patient outcomes hinge on safe, high-quality practices free from shortcuts and other process deviations. Fortunately, our ability to use critical thinking, analyze our errors and learn from them presents opportunities to broaden our knowledge and prevent errors from recurring.
12/28/25
Beyond Tray Counts: Building a Smarter, Measurable Future for Sterile Processing
Kara Nadeau
For years, sterile processing professionals have been asked to do more with less. They are expected to improve turnaround times, support surgical growth, manage complex instrumentation, and prevent infection — all while operating with limited visibility into what “good” performance really looks like.
Unlike surgical services or infection prevention, sterile processing departments (SPD) lack standardized metrics and benchmarking. There are no widely accepted national indicators for quality, productivity, or cost.
As a result, SPD leaders are often flying blind, struggling to make a data-backed case for staffing, resources, and technology.
bottom of page