---
title: 'Sterile Processing 101: Point of Use Treatment - The OR''s Role in Sterile Processing'
type: 'episode'
url: 'https://doc.social/episodes/sterile-processing-101-point-of-use-treatment-the-ors-role-in-sterile-processing'
show: 'First Case'
show_url: 'https://doc.social/podcasts/first-case'
published: '2026-04-13'
audio: 'https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/firstcase/FC_Ep19_2.mp3'
---

# Sterile Processing 101: Point of Use Treatment - The OR's Role in Sterile Processing

What happens to your instruments during the case matters more than you think. In this interview with Mike Matthews, we break down point-of-use treatment and why sterile processing actually starts in the OR, not decontam. From biofilm risk t…

## Summary

What happens to your instruments during the case matters more than you think.

In this interview with Mike Matthews, we break down point-of-use treatment and why sterile processing actually starts in the OR, not decontam.

From biofilm risk to instrument damage, this episode highlights how small actions during a case have big downstream consequences.

This episode challenges the "not my problem" mindset and reinforces a critical truth: 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁-𝗼𝗳-𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 - 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹.

#operatingroom #ornurse #sterileprocessing #scrubtech