A Step Above the Rest: Confronting Shoe Contamination

As the expression goes; "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." But how do we make sure those steps are taken with shoes that are comfortable, clean, and above all, compliant? Should your sterile processing shoes be department dedicated, covered around the clock, or even sterilized?  Season 20 of the Beyond Clean podcast, "Armed & (Compliantly) Dangerous," is all about personal protective equipment (PPE), and in this episode Kenneth Campbell, Director of Sterile Processing at Berkshire Medical Center, shows what it means to go above and beyond for technician and patient safety.  Using his years of experience in the field and his ability to talk data with the C-suite, Kenneth drove a quality improvement project that reduced cross contamination and improved employee satisfaction. We discuss how he addressed an industry gap around shoes in decontamination in a way that lasts much longer than a wet shoe cover. It's a conversation that speaks to international best practices and may be that piece you need to be a step above the rest.  Season 20 of Beyond Clean released under the 1 Episode = 1 CE delivery model, so once you finish this interview, you can get your 1 CE credit immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week.     For access to this CE quiz and over 350 other free CE credit, visit our CE Credit Hub at beyondclean.net/ce-credit-hub