Mrs. Sandi Gamon1, Mrs. Jeanette Crighton1
1Waitemata, Auckland, Aotearoa / New Zealand
Biography:
Sandi has over 25 yrs experience in Infection Prevention and she has worked in the UK, Australia and New Zealand over the course of her career. Her career highlights include projects which contribute to improving patient safety.
Abstract:
The Tristel Trio system was introduced at Waitematā to deliver high-level disinfection (HLD) at the point of care (POC) for semi-critical medical devices, aiming to improve efficiency and patient experience. This initiative sought to reduce the number of devices required, eliminate unnecessary patient transfers to theatres, and decrease reliance on Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD) reprocessing. Despite these benefits, implementation lacked structured Infection Prevention (IP) involvement during procurement and establishment, resulting in an absence of regular audits from 2019 to 2024.
The 2024 audit assessed compliance across North Shore Hospital (NSH), Totara Haumaru (TH), and Waitakere Hospital (WTH). Totara Haumaru demonstrated high compliance, particularly in Anaesthetics (100%) and Urology Theatre (85%). However, compliance across all areas varied, highlighting inconsistent practices and documentation issues.
Common issues identified included inadequate process standardization and lack of robust monitoring tools. To address these gaps, the implementation of the 3T cloud-based compliance platform is recommended. This mobile and web-integrated solution guides staff through disinfection steps, ensures real-time tracking of decontamination events, and enhances overall accountability and transparency in infection prevention practices.
While the audit uncovered areas of success, such as department-level adherence to protocols, it also emphasized limitations in oversight and systematization. The next steps involve broader adoption of digital compliance tools, ongoing staff training, and integration of IP teams into procurement and operational workflows to ensure sustained and standardized use of Tristel Trio. This will reinforce infection prevention and elevate patient safety standards throughout the organization.