

Beyond Clean Podcast
Beyond Clean Podcast
Even though their tools and equipment touch nearly every surgical patient in the world, how much do you really know about the people, processes, and products used in the Sterile Processing industry? Beyond Clean offers a creative look into the inner workings of a healthcare industry surrounded by challenges, disrupted by change, and committed to getting it right -- every instrument, every time. The team at Beyond Clean will bring on some of the biggest names in surgical instrument reprocessing and provide commentary on the biggest issues facing Sterile Processing professionals, facilities, administrators, manufacturers, and vendors. Join us every week as we explore the hidden world of one of the most important aspect of safe surgical care.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 21, 2023 • 25min
Confident Certification™ Ep. 13 - Finding the Confidence Within: Tips for Being Your Own Motivator
On this week's episode of Confident Certification™ Sarah B. Cruz and Bobby Parker discuss what it really means to "be your own biggest fan" on the journey toward certification. They talk about celebrating small wins and milestones, finding motivation in purpose, and leaning into a growth mindset when faced with failures or imposter syndrome. Sarah and Bobby explore how self-belief ties into being a fan of yourself while also emphasizing that confidence shouldn't slip into obsessive self-focus or hyper-optimism that ignores constructive feedback. The episode finishes with tangible tips for staying motivated on the heels of setbacks, including visual reminders, mantras, and exercises to highlight accomplishments. Tune in for an uplifting episode focused on building confidence through conscious, purposeful support of yourself! Over the next 52 weeks, Sarah and special guests from around the industry will provide tangible tools to build your test prep confidence, understand the challenges that technicians encounter as they study, and equip every member of the Sterile Processing team to be the best advocates they can be for professional development. New episodes of Confident Certification™ will release each Tuesday on Beyond Clean channels. For the best listening experience, download the Beyond Clean mobile app on Apple (https://lnkd.in/guh_vxzu) and Android (https://lnkd.in/gHnfh28a) devices. This series is an innovative educational experience created to help you, your students, and your coworkers ace your Sterile Processing certification with confidence! Special thanks to our Year 1 sponsor Aesculap (US) for making this series possible! If you have thoughts or feedback on this new show, please email us at info@beyondclean.net.

Nov 20, 2023 • 32min
All Things Considered: The Big Picture of SPD Consumables
Join us this week as we wrap up Season 22 "All 'Bout Consumables" with guest Robby Miller, Manager of Sterile Processing at Dignity Health's St. Joseph's Hospital, sharing his strategies for managing consumables at a high level. Robby shares tips on stewarding department resources through education, the place of consumables in process improvement, and leveraging vendor relationships to drive efficiency. We discuss considerations for implementing new products like trial periods and staff feedback, and Robby provides perspective on creating open communication channels so technicians feel comfortable surfacing product quality issues. Don't miss this insightful conversation about optimizing budgets, workflows, and staff engagement around consumables as you work to advance your department's operational excellence! On behalf of our entire team at Beyond Clean, and our wonderful guests for this season, we want to thank you for listening, and hope you enjoyed the series! Season 22 of Beyond Clean released under the 1 Episode = 1 CE delivery model. After finishing this interview, earn your 1 CE credit immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. Visit our CE Credit Hub at beyondcleanmedia.com/ce-credit-hub for access to this quiz and over 350 other free CE credits.

Nov 14, 2023 • 19min
Confident Certification™ Ep. 12 - Who Has Your Back?: The Power of Motivation & Community
Who's got your back on the road to certification? Why does it matter? On this week's edition of Confident Certification™, host Sarah B. Cruz talks about the importance of finding a supportive community when pursuing your certification goals. Tune in to hear key tips on how to build your network, connect with fellow Sterile Processing professionals in the same season of study, and find the right spaces to be supported on your certification journey. You'll walk away feeling motivated and ready to tackle studying with confidence. Over the next 52 weeks, Sarah and special guests from around the industry will provide tangible tools to build your test prep confidence, understand the challenges that technicians encounter as they study, and equip every member of the Sterile Processing team to be the best advocates they can be for professional development. New episodes of Confident Certification™ will release each Tuesday on Beyond Clean channels. For the best listening experience, download the Beyond Clean mobile app on Apple (https://lnkd.in/guh_vxzu) and Android (https://lnkd.in/gHnfh28a) devices. This series is an innovative educational experience created to help you, your students, and your coworkers ace your Sterile Processing certification with confidence! Special thanks to our Year 1 sponsor Aesculap (US) for making this series possible! If you have thoughts or feedback on this new show, please email us at info@beyondclean.net.

Nov 13, 2023 • 34min
Still Sticking Around: Thinking Through Residual Protein
Join us this week on Beyond Clean as we chat with Rory Burke, Lead Medical Supply Technician and member of the Beyond Clean Advisory Group, about consumables such as protein residue testing tools in Sterile Processing. On this episode, we discuss the differences between ATP and protein methods, workflow considerations, guidelines and standards around testing, and best practices for investigating failures. Rory provides perspective from the front lines on why protein testing adds value in monitoring cleaning effectiveness and how see it fitting into the broader goal of #FightingDirty. Don't miss this insightful conversation about optimizing quality and safety through cleaning verification testing! Season 22 of Beyond Clean is releasing under the 1 Episode = 1 CE delivery model. After finishing this interview, earn your 1 CE credit immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. Visit our CE Credit Hub at beyondcleanmedia.com/ce-credit-hub for access to this quiz and over 350 other free CE credits.

Nov 9, 2023 • 7min
5 Reasons Why the Great Resignation Could Be Great for Your Sterile Processing Career
In this CE-approved episode of Articles On-The-Go, Hank Balch discusses the career advancement opportunities the "Great Resignation" presented for Sterile Processing professionals: -- "If you are willing to stick with your current employer through this season of employment upheaval, you position yourself very powerfully to be strongly considered for that next step up the department career ladder. Job descriptions and role requirements that were written in the previous job market, with a heavy emphasis on certain credentials and many years of experience, are now..." To listen to the full episode click here. To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE-approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondcleanmedia.com/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

Nov 7, 2023 • 27min
Confident Certification™ Ep.11 - Building Your Own Certification Study Plan
Are you that brave, adventurous type of Sterile Processing technician? Do you prefer to go your own pace, and set your own goals? Then self-study for the certification exam may be for you! Join hosts Sarah B. Cruz and Bobby Parker on this episode of Confident Certification™ as they provide tips for creating your own curriculum, outlining key topics, and incorporating formal and informal education resources into your independent exam prep. Learn how to structure your study time, pace yourself through chapters, and match study tools to your learning style -- and how to helps those around you who are self-studying for the exame to do the same! Over the next 52 weeks, Sarah and special guests from around the industry will provide tangible tools to build your test prep confidence, understand the challenges that technicians encounter as they study, and equip every member of the Sterile Processing team to be the best advocates they can be for professional development. New episodes of Confident Certification™ will release each Tuesday on Beyond Clean channels. For the best listening experience, download the Beyond Clean mobile app on Apple (https://lnkd.in/guh_vxzu) and Android (https://lnkd.in/gHnfh28a) devices. This series is an innovative educational experience created to help you, your students, and your coworkers ace your Sterile Processing certification with confidence! Special thanks to our Year 1 sponsor Aesculap (US) for making this series possible! If you have thoughts or feedback on this new show, please email us at info@beyondclean.net.

Nov 6, 2023 • 36min
The Wide World of Wrap: Working in a Sea of Blue Polyproplene
What's blue and has flaps? A bluebird. What's blue and can be folded? Blue jeans! What's blue and can save lives? Now THAT's a good question. Join us for this episode of Season 22, featuring Sterile Processing Educator and member of the Beyond Clean Advisory Group Sean Weir, as he joins us to discuss the iconic blue wrap - a polyproplene material used to package surgical instruments all around the world. Sean shares his best tips on proper wrapping technique, common mistakes to avoid when using this consumable, and weighs in on innovations currently in the market. He also touts a record wrapping time of 5.65 seconds, that he is still seeking a challenge to! Sean's passion for education and advancing the Sterile Processing field shines through in this engaging conversation around a well-known, yet sometimes overlooked single-use supply in our department. We hope you can tune in! Season 22 of Beyond Clean is releasing under the 1 Episode = 1 CE delivery model. After finishing this interview, earn your 1 CE credit immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. Visit our CE Credit Hub at beyondcleanmedia.com/ce-credit-hub for access to this quiz and over 350 other free CE credits.

Nov 2, 2023 • 5min
"But the Rep Said…": Who to Listen to and Why It Matters for Your Sterile Processing Team
In this CE-approved episode of Articles On-The-Go, Hank Balch discusses why IFUs, not sales reps, should be trusted when it comes to instrument reprocessing: -- "…it is imperative that we build a culture and expectation among our team that we welcome rep-based education, but always take everything we hear with a big grain of salt. In other words, listen for insights, but verify everything with a more reliable external source (more on that in a moment)." To listen to the full episode click here. To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE-approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondcleanmedia.com/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

Oct 31, 2023 • 18min
Confident Certification™ Ep. 10 - Quality Over Quantity: Customizing Your Study Schedule
Tired of staring at the same textbook page for hours? On this week's episode of Confident Certification™, Sarah B. Cruz feels your study pain and is dishing out tips to make every minute of certification prep count! Find your prime study spot - whether it's noisy or quiet, solo or in a group. Learn how to get real about your schedule and build in flexibility as Sarah gets real about her own distractions (helloooo, iPhone!) and how she creates quality focus time. Tune in to hear why structure matters, but why it's also important not to get rigid or compare to others' study rules. This episode will inspire you to optimize your learning style and create sustainable study habits. It's time to level up your study game and tune in to pass that exam! Over the next 52 weeks, Sarah and special guests from around the industry will provide tangible tools to build your test prep confidence, understand the challenges that technicians encounter as they study, and equip every member of the Sterile Processing team to be the best advocates they can be for professional development. New episodes of Confident Certification™ will release each Tuesday on Beyond Clean channels. For the best listening experience, download the Beyond Clean mobile app on Apple (https://lnkd.in/guh_vxzu) and Android (https://lnkd.in/gHnfh28a) devices. This series is an innovative educational experience created to help you, your students, and your coworkers ace your Sterile Processing certification with confidence! Special thanks to our Year 1 sponsor Aesculap (US) for making this series possible! If you have thoughts or feedback on this new show, please email us at info@beyondclean.net.

Oct 30, 2023 • 36min
Passing the Clean Test? The Variables of Verification
Clean? Really Clean? Just a Dream? What does "Clean" even mean? Join us for this week's new release from Season 22 on Beyond Clean, featuring Pawel de Sternberg Stojalowski, an expert in decontamination science and cleaning verification fanatic! We pitch Pawel some of the most important questions related to clinically relevant test soils, optimizing washer loading techniques, and adopting a critical thinking approach to achieving true cleanliness in our workflows. Tune in to hear about emerging technologies like automation and AI in Sterile Processing, and the impact they may have on our conceptions of what's possible as 21st century #CleanFreaks! We you can join us! Season 22 of Beyond Clean is releasing under the 1 Episode = 1 CE delivery model. After finishing this interview, earn your 1 CE credit immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. Visit our CE Credit Hub at beyondcleanmedia.com/ce-credit-hub for access to this quiz and over 350 other free CE credits.


