Sterile Processing
🇨🇦 Canadian Program
Mercy Ships Canada has partnered with Calgary based organization, Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust (SPECT). Since 2015, Mercy Ships seeks to improve sterile processing practices in the countries we serve.
Our Work
Most medical staff responsible for decontamination and sterilization of surgical instruments receive no formal training in sterile processing of surgical instruments. In most hospitals, it is primarily nurses performing these duties “on the side” of their assigned responsibilities. Training of such nurses allows them to in turn, train new staff.
By providing training and mentorship, as well as access to a low-cost sterilization system, this project seeks to increase healthcare workers’ knowledge and skills, thereby creating safer working environments for staff, patients, and visitors and decreasing patients’ risks of developing surgical site infections.
In 2017, SPECT had 80 course participants, 9 trainers trained and 59 sterilization units distributed.
Participants learn techniques in the Sterile Processing Course, in partnership with SPECT.© Mercy Ships
Participants learn techniques in the Sterile Processing Course, in partnership with SPECT.© Mercy Ships
Participants learn techniques in the Sterile Processing Course, in partnership with SPECT.© Mercy Ships
“During my 3-week absence from Hopital Be (CHUT), the men continued to maintain cleanliness by giving the dept a thorough clean every morning. They have rotated almost all of their instrument sets through a rust remover solution, followed by a diligent scrubbing, which has removed years of soil build up. One of the men commented that the OR staff thought the hospital had received new instruments. Once they realized the reason for their shiny instruments was thanks to proper cleaning, they commended the men for doing a great job. This has been really encouraging for the men, and as a result I've noticed an improvement in their attention and engagement in the training. It is also encouraging for us to see these new changes being embraced and applied.”