Rigid Containers!

[allis]

Almost every SPD department is getting used these days to Rigid Containers. How do you wash/clean your containers? A rep from the company where we bought our containers said we could send them through our cart washer. I am against this practice because the soap in the cart washer is different from the soap in the instrument washer. Also we are using a drying agent in the cart washer which is not designed for instruments. When the containers come out of the cart washer, many times we find traces of blood and a nasty brown film on the bottom. Please help a desperate technician! I explained the situation to my department director and educator, but it's like talking to deaf and blind people!

[cpdguy]

Depending on the age of your cart washer many of the new ones have programs and you can use different cleaning solutions.
Also many companies have designed special racks where you can do a lot of containers at once. They are desiged to go into the cart washer.
It is a better use of your time by using a cart washer than your instrument washer to clean the containers.
Again, do not take the sales guy word alone on this. Get it is writtig from the manfuacture; it will spell out what type of cleaning solution to use and how and what type of automatic process can be used.

[allis]

Thanks cpdguy! My cart washer is less than 4 years old! And no matter how you consider the problem, it's serious! We cannot change cleaning solutions everytime we are sending containers through. Using the cart washer is a better use of my time, but is it better for patient safety? I think one of our 4 instrument washers should be assigned to washing rigid containers!

[tlhorne]

We use one of our washer/disinfector machines to do all of our rigid containers. Works for us!

[allis]

We use one of our washer/disinfector machines to do all of our rigid containers. Works for us!
Thanks tlhome! I think the same can and should be done also in my facility since we have 4 washer/desinfectors. Many times I bring dirty rigid containers to the attention of people in charge of the department, but in vain so far! They see the bloody spots and the brown films inside the trays, again and still it seems they don't care. I finally had to get in touch with infection control. I hope I will have some result this time.

[Harvey Johnson]

If you are washing rigid containers through an instrument washer/disinfector, you should be running a ph neutral detergent or one with a soft metal protectant additive. High alkaline detergents will corrode and pit the soft metal aluminum containers.

[allis]

If you are washing rigid containers through an instrument washer/disinfector, you should be running a ph neutral detergent or one with a soft metal protectant additive. High alkaline detergents will corrode and pit the soft metal aluminum containers.
Very useful and important information! Thanks so much Harv. I think my facility should assign one of our 4 washers just for rigid containers. What do you think about using the cart washer Harv?

[Harvey Johnson]

Thanks, Allis
I think you are on the right track.
If you are seeing better results from the instrument washers over the cart washer, I would use the instrument washer. Rewashes cost time, energy and supplies as well as customer satisfaction if Techs do not closely inspect results from the cart washer and a contaminated tray reaches the OR.

[Blulava]

Hey all! I'm a Traveler CRCST and I've been to a few places so far. My "home" hospital just wiped the rigid containers and lids down with alcohol rag. At another location, they actually put them all either through the cart wash on a huge rack or through the actual instrument washer ( which were the new conveyor belt style washers ). I'm in a new location at the moment and they don't even wash their rigid containers its disgusting. I'll be making a new post about their habits and if they are sound.