Even though manual cleaning is among reprocessing’s most important steps, some facilities lack the resources to ensure it is done effectively every time.

To that end, Michael Matthews, the director of customer training and education for Agiliti, identified five resources needed for proper manual cleaning in the latest edition of Beyond Clean’s flexible endoscope expert series.

“Healthcare facilities should work to provide their technicians with the tools and resources they need to successfully clean flexible endoscopes every time,” Matthews writes.

His key tools and resources consist of:

• Correct sink dimensions: According to ANSI/AAMI ST91, sinks should be a minimum of 16 by 30 inches and no more than eight to 10 inches deep, while being height adjustable. Non-compliant sinks increase the likelihood of a scope being damaged, according to Matthews.
• Proper brush sizes: A brush that’s too large will damage the endoscope as it is forced through its channels; too small and it won’t make proper contact with the areas it’s supposed to be cleaning.
• Visual magnification: ST91 additionally requires visual inspection of the scope’s distal tip with lighted magnification. This allows technicians to identify damage that may result in patient harm. Matthews advises that techs be trained on what to look for during this step.
• Automated enzymatic dispensers: “More enzymatic is not better when it comes to cleaning scopes,” Matthews writes, which is why automatic dispensers are needed. Without one, technicians tend to use too much, which is difficult to remove and may impede sterilization.
• Enough time: A majority of technicians report feeling pressure to speed up manual cleaning, leading to an increased risk of human error.

An alternative to manual cleaning and reprocessing entirely is to adopt single-use endoscopes, which are used once and discarded, eliminating the need for disinfection and the risk of patient infection.

Matthews’s advice? Audit the manual cleaning process, identify if one of those five resources is missing and, if so, take action. Click here for those action items and much more from Matthews and Beyond Clean.