Every once in a while I will go to the quick automated car wash to save time. They are the ones with the garage doors that open and close as you enter and leave. Sometimes they hit all the areas and do an overall good job of cleaning. Other times, it will miss a big area of the car as if something in the cleaning station wasn’t working properly. It might have been the water pressure, the soap dispensing the wrong amount or poor rinsing, but I was thinking afterwards - it would be great if they performed regular testing to ensure it was cleaning properly.
Sterile Processing professionals have the responsibility of ensuring surgical instruments are properly cleaned during each shift and they use regular testing methods to make sure their washing equipment is working properly.
TOSI® is the first device to provide a consistent, repeatable, and reliable method for evaluating the cleaning effectiveness of the automated instrument washer. It's an easy to use blood soil device that directly correlates to the cleaning challenge of surgical instruments. This is possible, because the blood soil is manufactured to exacting specifications each and every time. When metered on to the stainless steel plate, the TOSI® is completely analogous to a stainless steel instrument soiled with dried blood. Placed in the see-through plastic holder, the challenge is identical to the areas of instruments typically hidden from view (i.e., box locks). The routine use of this test will help ensure that your instrument washer is performing at a consistent level, enhancing the routine visual inspection of instruments. TOSI® complies with new AAMI and AORN Guidelines as well as ASTM Guide D7225.
Don’t leave anything to chance - make sure your washers are working properly with regular testing.
Matthew Smith
Senior Manager of Marketing
