Summary
Infection Prevention and Control Canada (IPAC Canada) states “Adherence to hand hygiene and medical equipment cleaning
and disinfection/sterilization procedures are examples of practices that may result in infection if best practices are
not followed.”
Some public health departments have recently been scrutinizing all aspects of reprocessing in dental and dental hygiene
offices. It’s your professional responsibility to meet infection control standards, which reduce the risk for bacterial
and viral infections, at all times. This session will explore best practices in instrument reprocessing routines and
meeting infection control standards, as suggested by Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) and Canadian Standards
Association (CSA).
Presenter
Janet Bristeir, RN
Janet Bristeir is a UK-trained, registered nurse specializing in peri-operative nursing, medical device reprocessing,
infection control, patient safety, and risk management.
Bristeir is a member of the BC Ministry of Health (MoH), Reprocessing Working Group; an expert group collaborating with
the MoH to produce the BC Reprocessing Best Practice Guidelines document. She is also an active member of the Canadian
Association of Medical Device Reprocessing (CAMDR) and Infection Prevention and Control Canada (IPAC) with membership
on the IPAC Reprocessing Interest Group. Bristeir recently traveled with a team from Royal College of Physicians and
Surgeons of Canada International, to speak about patient safety related to reprocessing surgical equipment, at a
Surgical Education Conference in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The only nurse in the team, Bristeir’s presence in the
delegation showcased the importance of interprofessionalism.
Moderator
Amanda Acker, RDH
At the time of original presentation, Amanda was the Independent Practice Advisor at the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA). Her primary focus was increasing access to care for the public and more specifically among vulnerable populations. Through her community partnerships and work with CDHA she continued to promote independent dental hygiene and accessible dental care nationwide.
Learning Outcomes
After the webinar, participants will be able to:
- Review the processing environment for instrument reprocessing
- Discuss the importance of following the Manufacturer’s Instructions for Use (MIFU)
- Discuss quality monitors used for sterilizers
- Discuss and apply quality assurance for reprocessing
- Review policy and procedure manuals to ensure they are current and being followed