Plan Now for CS Week 2010 to Celebrate Your CSSD

The International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) reminds sterile processing professionals and infection preventionists that Oct. 10-16, 2010, has been designated at National Healthcare CS & Sterile Processing Week, so mark your calendars and start planning now to ensure that your department and profession receive the recognition they deserve.

IAHCSMM says that CS Week provides a unique opportunity to highlight the departments many contributions and demonstrate to other healthcare departmentsand C-level executivesthe vital role that CSSD plays in the delivery of quality patient care and customer service. With an entire week dedicated to the profession (and, essentially, your team), proactive planning and department-wide involvement is necessary to ensure that every team members voice is heard and that your CS Week celebration will leave a lasting, positive impression.

IAHCSMM provides a few suggestions to help you celebrate CS Week in style:

-- At least two weeks before, advertise the event and any planned activities (post signs on common area walls or publish an announcement in the hospitals newsletter).

-- Host an ice cream social and invite all hospital customers, infection control professionals and executives to the CSSD to learn more about the department and the teams duties, goals, successes, and challenges.

-- Conduct daily department tours; serve snacks and beverages in approved areas.

-- Create visual displays for added impact and place them in highly visible areas of the facility, such as corridors and cafeterias.

-- Play IAHCSMMs DVD "It All Starts Here" in the CSSD and other common areas to promote the department and its far-reaching contributions.

For more information, visit: http://www.iahcsmm.org/CurrentIssues/CS_Week2010.html#pab1_1