With his term as HSPA president concluded at the end of the HSPA Annual Conference, Anthony Bondon CRCST, CHL, BSM, AAS, SME, LSSYB, reflects on the power of connection, service, and why sterile processing professionals are the true champions of health care.
Social media offers opportunities to showcase sterile processing work, but a single misstep can risk compromising patient privacy, incurring legal consequences, and damaging your facility’s public reputation.
Sterile processing leaders need more than technical expertise—they require business, collaboration, and leadership skills to gain autonomy, improve outcomes, and elevate the role within health care.
With staffing shortages and rising infection risks, the TEPHI 200-Series delivers accessible, high-impact training to empower healthcare professionals and strengthen infection prevention efforts nationwide.
Elizabeth (Betty) Casey, MSN, RN, CNOR, CRCST, CHL, is the SVP of Operations and Chief Nursing Officer at Surgical Solutions in Overland, Kansas. This SPD leader reframes preparation, unpredictability, and teamwork by comparing surgical services to the Kentucky Derby to reenergize sterile processing professionals and inspire systemic change.
Vatsala Srinivasa, MPH's, research uses genomic sequencing to track hospital transmission of respiratory viruses, revealing hidden links and highlighting the potential for improved infection prevention.
UF Health’s offsite reprocessing center offers a model for scalability, efficiency, and staff support as hospitals face space limitations and growing surgical volumes. Sara Vinson, MBA, CRCST, director of sterile processing will discuss it at the 2025 HSPA Annual Conference.
Sterile processing departments face high-stakes challenges daily. At AORN 2025, Marjorie Wall outlined transformative strategies to improve safety, efficiency, and cross-departmental collaboration, and also discussed HSPA 2025.
Sterile processing expert Kevin Anderson urges perioperative nurses to deepen collaboration with SPD teams to enhance OR efficiency, reduce SSIs, and improve patient outcomes.
ICT interviews Damien Berg, VP of strategic initiatives, who promises HSPA education, outreach, and growth. It will empower sterile processing professionals through standards updates, networking, and renewed purpose in patient safety.
Communication breakdowns between the operating room and central processing led to delays and frustration—until collaboration, cross-training, and shared goals turned metrics around and strengthened teamwork.
Occupational exposure to surgical smoke significantly alters biological and oxidative stress markers in operating room staff, highlighting urgent risks and the need for improved safety measures.
Houston Methodist West Hospital reduced surgical site infections in hysterectomy and colorectal cases by implementing an intraoperative isolation bundle and checklist to prevent cross-contamination.
A Portuguese hospital team significantly improved operating room cleanliness through targeted training, UV audits, and interdisciplinary collaboration, enhancing patient safety and infection prevention at AORN 2025.
At AORN 2025, Dr. Michael Sinnott called for a unified safety culture—one that protects both patients and staff through shared responsibility, accountability, and systemic change.
Pennsylvania Hospital cut complex spinal fusion surgical site infections by over 31% through a multidisciplinary initiative focused on evidence-based interventions and collaborative surgical care.
A barcode-based tracking system for surgical instruments has slashed packing errors, boosted staff training, and dramatically improved patient safety through precise, real-time traceability.
John Kimsey’s interactive sterile processing department game bridges understanding between the operating room and sterile processing teams, promoting collaboration, hands-on learning, and improved patient safety through real-world simulation.
From April 5 to 8, 2025, thousands of perioperative nurses will gather in Boston for the 2025 AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo—a transformational experience designed to elevate nursing practice, build lifelong connections, and advance surgical care.
Boston is a great place to go to conferences. But what else is there to do? Read on to find out!
From expert speakers to cutting-edge tools, sterile processing conferences, like the 2025 HSPA Annual Conference and the SoCal SPA's Spring Conference, offer unmatched opportunities to grow your skills, expand your network, and strengthen your department's infection prevention game.
The 160th CDS Midwinter Meeting showcased dental advancements, scientific courses, and infection control discussions, drawing nearly 25,000 attendees and highlighting innovations, oral pathology, and patient safety strategies.
Herpes infections pose significant risks in dentistry. JoAnn Gurenlian, RDH, PhD, presented prevention, treatment, occupational hazards, and a potential breakthrough in gene therapy that could revolutionize herpes management at the Midwinter Meeting.
The Chicago Dental Society honored Dr. Joseph Hagenbruch and Dr. Mark Lingen for their leadership, research, and dedication to advancing dentistry and improving oral health care access.
Sherrie Busby, EDDA, CDSO, CDIPC, shares her journey from dental assisting to infection control advocacy, highlighting her passion for education, her role at Heartland Dental, and her exciting transition to a new chapter.
At the 2025 Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting, Dr. Marie Fluent passionately discussed infection control, emphasizing hand hygiene, waterlines, and the critical role of vaccinations in dental settings.
Doris Schneider, senior marketing manager for North America for W&H North America, shares insights into the 160th Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting, showcasing the Lexa Mini rapid sterilizer and Synea Power Edition handpiece, designed for efficient sterilization and effortless dental procedures.
Madhavi Ponnapalli, MD, discusses effective wound care strategies, including debridement techniques, offloading modalities, appropriate dressing selection, compression therapy, and nutritional needs for optimal healing outcomes.
At IDWeek, Invivyd highlighted Pemgarda’s effectiveness under FDA Emergency Use Authorization for immunocompromised patients, demonstrating efficacy against evolving COVID-19 variants since the Omicron strain.
