The work of sterile processing departments: An exploratory study using qualitative interviews and a quantitative process database

Background The sterile processing of surgical instruments and equipment is an essential part of surgical operations. Although clean instruments prevent infections, little is known about the departments that conduct this work. We sought to describe sterile processing departments (SPDs) and to identify factors impacting them. Methods We analyzed data from 22 qualitative interviews of staff and managers and a quantitative benchmarking database....