Mrs Kate Ryan1, Dr Sally Havers1, Professor Lindsay Grayson1
1Austin Health, Heidelberg, Australia
Background: Compliance with Australian Standard AS4187:2014 Reprocessing of Reusable Medical Devices (RMD) in Health Service Organisations is required. An assessment determined there were several cleaning agents in use that were not of the required standard for use on RMD. An investigation was undertaken aimed at determining the components to be assessed to choose an appropriate cleaning agent.
Method: A detailed review was made of the requirements for cleaning of RMD. This included review of: AS4187; the definitions of RMD and registered products with Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA); Australian Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines; Health Purchasing Victoria (HPV); manufacturer’s instructions for use (IFU); and clinical requirements.
Results: A list of specific requirements for consideration was created, with key decisions required at an organisational level before a cleaning agent could be selected. The definition of an RMD in the ward setting was established; the agent should be: a TGA approved 2-in-1 cleaning and disinfection agent, available on HPV, compatible with most existing IFUs and where possible only one agent should be available for use by clinicians; retrofitting agents to existing equipment needed executive support to use the chosen product; and purchasing policies should be aligned with the chosen agent for future RMD purchases.
Conclusion: Selection of a cleaning agent that meets the requirements of all regulatory authorities as well as organisational and clinical needs is very difficult. Further work is needed by state-based purchasing bodies, national infection prevention advocates, and manufacturers of both RMD and cleaning agents to simplify the process.
Biography: Kate Ryan began her health career as a physiotherapist. From experiences as an acute cardiothoracic physio, an interest in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) was sparked, and from here Kate took up a role within the founding team of Hand Hygiene Australia in 2008. IPC became Kate’s passion, completing the Foundations course in 2018, a credentialed member of ACIPC in 2019, then completing the Infection Control Grad Certificate at Griffith University in 2022.
Kate is still involved with HHA to this day, however she now has a role within Austin Health as a part of the Reusable Medical Device program.