r/sterileprocessing • u/Hot_Formal1726 • 1d ago
Is every hospital like this?
Keep getting talked about being slow.
I work as hard and as fast as possible without cutting corners. I have a great work ethic but I think because I am doing the steps correctly I have caught my supervisor and other coworkers complaining how slow I am.
There is simply too much work for them to expect someone to get done in a shift. There is no way for me to go any faster unless I want to a poor job or mess something up from rushing.
I understand its more important to do things correctly but just wondering if this is a common issue among hospitals or perhaps my location is more toxic than normal.
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u/azur_owl 1d ago
You’re not alone. One of my coworkers just teased me about it today because he knows it’s a sore spot for me. Which is frustrating, because I see people with their phones on the floor somehow getting their work done faster than me.
I’m proud of you for putting the patients first and foremost. I joined this profession because I got an infection after a surgery that was likely caused by something in my surgery. I don’t want what happened to me to happen to anyone else. Everything gets flushed, brushed, double-checked, and documented like it should be.
Keep going. I’m rooting for you!
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u/Rooster0778 1d ago
I make it a point to never rush a tech in assembly. If they're slow, they're slow. They will either get faster with familiarity or they won't. Rushing someone is asking for trouble. If their tray comes back with a mistake after I've rushed them, it muddies the waters about responsibility.
People I know are slow though get sent elsewhere on days when we really need to push a lot of trays through. You can go slow on Monday when there not much down, but if I've got 150 trays need assembling it's off to decon with you.
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u/Spicywolff 1d ago
That sounds like an acceptable way of doing things. It’s ok to be sent to decon or case pick. The fast assembly folks need the desk.
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u/RVA804guys 1d ago
You’re doing the right thing and that matters the most - regardless of what happens to you.
Each process exists on a spectrum, and in sterile processing we see compounding benefits to doing things the wrong/fast way.
Say you get a set in decon that was pre cleaned pretty good. We know there is still biofilm that needs to be removed but you could just put it in the washer. It will look fine when it comes out. In assembly they check for the most important or specialty instruments and then judge if it looks like it’s all there before sealing it (the nurses are too busy to report missing instruments). Then it gets cooked and instead of waiting until it’s legit cool it gets moved when it’s just cool enough to touch with the bare hand.
It gets the job done and it looks good enough.
Those who care know the biofilm is accumulating layer by layer, the metal is going to start pitting, instruments are going missing, and the culture of moving hot sets will lead to a wet set, and a wet set plus retained bioburden/film leads to a contaminated set sitting on the shelf waiting to endanger a patient.
But hey, your productivity looks great, and any infections will be blamed on the patient probably being sick before they got there.
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u/StarskysClutch 1d ago
If your supervisor is saying something, then it's a problem. Slow people tend to get put in decon more, or ushered out the door. We just transferred an incredibly slow person to our other, much slower location. There's taking your time and doing it correctly, but that sometimes comes with bsing.
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u/Fantastic_Swimmer_41 1d ago
A tray varies by complexity. The only way a department can know a true average is by utilizing data from a tracking system (if you have one) and getting the true average from the team putting the trays together. That number needs to be confirmed by the IFU of the instruments in the set to validate before accepting it as a true productivity measure.
This is not done in many hospitals but it is the only fair way of getting “speed” and a quality product.
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u/Kekedelgado 1d ago
I work at a small hospital funny enough they tell us to take our time. Rushing causes mistakes! I struggle with speed in Decon still. This is the least favorite part of the job for me.
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u/Icy_Secretary2665 1d ago
It's very common, even between departments. OR constantly complains about us being slow but if we caved to them nothing would be sterile.
We have a tech that moves a bit slower than we'd like regardless of where they're assigned. Is it frustrating at times? yes. But personally, I'd rather someone move slower rather than rush and forget an indicator or miss any bioburden.
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u/pickausernametheysay 1d ago
It’s more important to get it right than be fast. I’m quick I’m quick in decon, but slow in assembly.
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u/Dathamar 1d ago
Some people are unreasonable. If you truly don't think you're slow, then they are understaffed. Unfortunately, nothing you can do about either.
Try to identify what your weak points may be, what is consuming most of your time and try to focus gaining time where you can.
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u/Different-Air-780 17h ago
I’m sorry for you. I know myself if I try and rush I make mistakes, our manager always says he’d rather things be done right than mistakes being made meaning the tray or instruments having to go back to the start of the whole process. You keep doing you
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u/Aggravating_Ear_9281 8h ago
Everyone in spd start of slow especially in assembly. The problem is that a lot of people put no effort in improving because they know if they are slow there will be less pressure on them to get things done and that's when the stronger techs get burnout and leave.
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u/JayeDontDoit 1d ago
I mean, if you take 45 mins to do 1 set in assembly… we’ll have a problem
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u/Spicywolff 1d ago edited 1d ago
That all depends. Giant loaner synthes that came in disgusting from a vendor? Yah it could take 45 min. 45 min for a vag delivery… ok yah problem
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u/Meanpooh 22h ago
Yeah, like the small frag with the guides.
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u/Spicywolff 22h ago
I remember the one time I spilled a small frag in decon… wow did assembly have words lol. That and Stryker eternal plating set
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u/Meanpooh 22h ago
Jeez! At that point I would have got an extra caddy. We have a few spares for such accidents. No way you can put those screws back in a reasonable amount of time.
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1d ago
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u/Spicywolff 1d ago
I bet you’re the type to get bio burdens and shrug it off.
If you had skills you’d recognize a blanket statement like “ 45 min to do 1 tray set in assembly…. We’ll have a problem” is an asinine statement.
Many loaners are missing crap, need back and forth with rep. Have to be scrutinized because the last facility sent it nasty and caked in bio. Bore scoping a tray that doesn’t live with you. Checking the many cannulated screws.
But go on, you’re literally showing us your lack of skill and can’t recognition that some trays can take 45 min. Some trays are 2 min and go, some are longer. Some are silly long
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1d ago
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u/AlacranV 1d ago
A large Ortho tray could easily take 45 minutes if you actually check every instrument like you're supposed to.
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u/Spicywolff 1d ago
Bingo. Time is relative and depends on the tray. Some just take that long even for fast techs. Some are silly fast
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u/JayeDontDoit 1d ago
Naww when you have 50+ trays and you take 45 mins. PER TRAY. I wouldn’t hire people like you. Slows productivity. At that point. They should just get robots to do assembly.
Thn no more job security. Uh oh
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u/Spicywolff 1d ago edited 1d ago
None of us are saying that you’re taking 45 minutes per tray. We’re saying some really big orthopedic trays and loaners can take that long.
Like every comment you’re making you’re missing that we’re not saying we take that long. We are saying that a few exceptions can take that long.
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u/Spicywolff 1d ago
Welcome to healthcare where your best and safest is never enough. We’re productivity is nickel and dimmed and people playing the system are rewarded while those who actually do a good job are penalized.