Welcome to the NJAASC blog! 

As NJAASC President, I am excited to introduce a new forum to share helpful information, engage our members and give them an opportunity to become better acquainted with our board and all that is in store at NJAASC. You can look forward to hearing from our board members and active ASC community over the next few months.

The ASC marketplace is constantly evolving, which presents opportunities for both new and exciting opportunities, as well as the challenges that we face as a community.  I am interested in discussing these topics with you, our membership.

I am passionate about a few things that I am excited to share with you: First, I love mentoring leaders.  Whether you have been in a leadership role for a long time or are just starting out, there is so much we can all learn from each other.  Feel free to reach out to me with a question or concerns.  I am happy to give an encouraging word.

I am also passionate about sterile processing. To the outsider, sterile processing may appear daunting. But there are great resources to help managers learn about sterile processing standards. For example, do you know how to monitor the quality of decontamination and sterilization at your surgery center?  It can be easier than you think. There are several courses available to train you how to supervise this critical area to your surgery center.

Do you know what a TOSI test is? A Test Object Surgical Instrument (TOSI) Test will examine the effectiveness of your instrument washer. At a minimum, you should be performing a TOSI test every week, but most subject matter experts recommend performing a TOSI test daily. Don’t forget to document the test result with the date and name of the SPD tech that performed the test. There are several manufacturers for “TOSI tests” which are easily searchable online.

Start by asking your SPD tech how often they are performing a TOSI test. Do you have a policy about it? Do you have a log sheet? Look at that - you already have a 10-step quality study in the making.  Yes, I forgot to say that I love turning everyday tasks into quality studies!  Let’s save that topic for another blog! 

I’d love your feedback about what you want to hear more about from us!

Meg Stagliano
NJAASC President
Meg.Stagliano@rwjbh.org