VERSAILLES, Ohio, Feb. 13, 2023 — Midmark Corp., a leading medical solutions provider focused on the design of the clinical environment to improve the delivery of care, today announced its new continuing medical education course, “Enhancing Patient Safety: The Vital Role of Manufacturer's Instructions for Use (IFUs) in Instrument Processing.” 

In an effort to help take the mystery out of IFUs and ensure they are front and center in instrument processing, the Midmark clinical education team has partnered with Pfiedler Education, a division of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), to offer training with continuing education units (CEUs). The on-demand, digital module course covers:

• – Steps of the instrument cleaning process.
• – Key considerations related to selection and use of detergents and disinfectants for instrument cleaning.
• – Characteristics of the various types of detergents and high-level disinfectants.
• – Troubleshooting steps for the cleaning process and mechanical equipment.
• – Applicable regulations and standards related to instrument care and cleaning. 

“With newly recognized pathogens and well-known microorganisms becoming resistant to treatment modalities, there is growing pressure to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs),” said Rebecca Benga, senior clinical education manager at Midmark. “A key infection control practice for reducing the likelihood of infection is proper reprocessing of instruments. A vital part of ensuring instrument processing achieves and maintains the highest standards is following manufacturer IFUs for all reprocessed instruments."

This accredited continuing education course is intended for a registered nurse, central services professional, sterile processing technician, surgical technologist or other healthcare professional who wants to learn more or gain knowledge and skills in following IFUs for instrument processing. Designed for professionals with demanding schedules, the course is a self-paced, independent learning activity. After completion of the course, healthcare professionals should be able to:

1. Outline the ways in which properly following IFUs throughout the instrument processing journey may prevent/reduce infections or citations from accrediting or regulating bodies.
2. Describe how proficiently reading, interpreting and applying IFUs in the clinical setting (thereby optimizing workflow design) can reduce pathogen transmission between staff and patients.
3. Explain how to optimize workflow and integrate infection control principles into the design of instrument processing units, ultimately enhancing safety and efficiency.

Currently, the California Board of Registered Nursing (CBRN) and the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT), the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD) and the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) have approved the course for 2.0 contact hours.

Interested healthcare personnel can sign up on Pfiedler’s site to take the on-demand module or visit midmark.com for more information.

About Midmark—Medical

Midmark helps physicians and care teams deliver exceptional patient care through seamless room design, better equipment, smarter workflows and integrated technologies. For more than 50 years, we have used our knowledge and deep understanding of ambulatory and acute care environments to help our customers improve clinical outcomes and eliminate the barriers preventing seamless, well-coordinated patient care. Learn more at midmark.com/medical/resource-library.

About Midmark 

Founded in 1915, Midmark Corporation is the only company transforming healthcare experiences through innovative design within the medical, dental and animal health environments. With more than 2,200 teammates worldwide, Midmark focuses on harmonizing space, technology and workflows, creating a better experience for caregivers and patients at the point of care. The Midmark headquarters and innovation hub are located in Versailles, Ohio, which is also home to the Midmark Experience Center, Design Center, Technology Center and its largest manufacturing facility. Midmark maintains eleven additional locations in the United States, including four innovation hubs, and has subsidiaries in India and Italy. To learn more about Midmark, visit midmark.com.

About AORN 

The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), founded in 1949, represents the interests of more than 200,000 perioperative nurses by providing evidence-based research, education, standards, and practice resources. AORN unites and empowers perioperative nurses, healthcare organizations, and industry partners to support safe surgery for every patient, every time. Pfiedler Education, a division of AORN, has designed and delivered continuing education for nurses and allied health professionals since 1990 in a mission to enhance clinical knowledge and skills while optimizing patient outcomes. Pfiedler Education is renowed for  developing educational programs and events on relevant clinical topics and educating key audiences on updated healthcare and safety guidelines.