Insights From Healthcare Experts
Aesculap experts know sterile processing and perioperative workflows. Their insights below can help you and your facility Operate with Greater Precision™.
Explore Our Recent Blog Posts
Changing Sterile Processing and Operating Room Perceptions Through Data and Dialogue
When operating room (OR) and sterile processing department (SPD) teams rely on assumptions instead of facts, it can lead to distrust, blame and communication breakdowns. Shared data between departments can change that dynamic. In this blog, Christina Carpentier, Sterile Processing Manager at Seattle Children’s Hospital, shares how using shared defect data, timelines and process visibility helped shift conversations between SPD and OR teams from assigning blame to solving problems. By aligning on a common, fact-based view and reviewing it together, both teams gained clarity, accountability and a stronger sense of partnership. Data became a tool for dialogue, not division. Learn more.
How I Started to End the Blame Game in Sterile Processing and Operating Room Relationships
Operational challenges between sterile processing departments (SPD) and the operating room (OR) don’t happen overnight, and they don’t have to be permanent. In this blog, Christina Carpentier, Sterile Processing Manager at Seattle Children’s Hospital, shares how small, intentional actions helped rebuild trust, improve communication and shift teams from assigning blame to fostering collaboration. From showing up consistently to grounding conversations in shared data, these lessons offer a practical roadmap for leaders working toward stronger SPD and OR relationships. Learn more.
How Psychological Safety Changed the Way My Sterile Processing Team Works
In sterile processing, silence can have real consequences. Teams need to feel safe speaking up before pressure hits, not after something goes wrong. In this blog, Christina Carpentier, Sterile Processing Manager at Seattle Children’s Hospital, shares how building psychological safety changed the way her sterile processing department (SPD) team worked. From technicians raising concerns early, to leaders owning mistakes and turning them into learning moments, trust became the foundation for stronger collaboration and better outcomes. Psychological safety is not about avoiding conflict. It’s about creating an environment where people can be honest, accountable and proactive in protecting patient care. Learn more.
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Stronger Hospital Outcomes Begin with Elevating the Role of the Sterile Processing Department
The sterile processing department (SPD) is more than just a back-end support team. It’s the hospital’s hub, with every surgical outcome dependent on the instruments that pass through it. Without a strong, well-supported SPD, even the most advanced operating room can be slowed by missing instruments, delayed turnovers and safety risks. In our latest Healthcare Insights Blog, Jennifer Greisen outlines 10 practical actions SPD leaders can take to elevate their department’s role, improve patient safety and streamline surgical workflows. Read more.
