Beyond Clean
Episodes
Clear the Air: Rethinking PPE Protection in SPD
Is the PPE your team relies on actually built for the environment you work in? On this week’s Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight™, Ken Arthur and Desiree Acedo from MAXAIR® Systems join us to explore how the MAXAIR® CAPR® system is redefining safety, comfort, and protection in high-heat, high-moisture decontamination environments. With ANSI-AAMI PB 70 Level 4 Fluid/Splash and NIOSH Approved Respiratory protection, adjustable airflow, and a lightweight, fog-free design, this innovative PPE helps techs stay protected and comfortable through even the toughest days in decontam. From reducing fatigue to staying dry at the sink, discover what a difference the right PPE can make—tune in today! Visit maxair-systems.com to learn more and get connected with your local MAXAIR Systems representative. Be sure to stop by booth #1238 at HSPA for a chance to win your own CAPR system and experience it firsthand. Plus, follow MAXAIR Systems on LinkedIn for product updates, insights, and resources on PPE and staff safety!
A Trail of Breadcrumbs: Getting to the Source of Your Black Speck Issue
Behind every black speck is a process, a piece of equipment, or a hidden culprit waiting to be discovered. In this episode of “What the Speck?,” SPD professional and consultant Warren Nist joins us to discuss how departments can move beyond identifying debris and begin uncovering the root cause behind it. From quality reports and workflow data to full department risk assessments, Warren walks through how experienced SPD teams track contamination back to its source. We also uncover some surprising culprits—from worn equipment components to debris hiding inside washers, carts, and even on hospital floors. If your team is trying to connect the dots and eliminate the problem for good, this episode offers a practical roadmap for getting there.
Over the next 6 weeks, this series dives into one of sterile processing’s most frustrating challenges—black specks. From water and steam quality to department culture, risk assessments, and root cause analysis, we’re digging into every angle to uncover real answers (and real solutions) for your SPD.
A special thanks to our sponsor, Aesculap®, for supporting this podcast series!
#BeyondClean #Aesculap #SterileProcessing #WhatTheSpeck #BlackSpecks #SurgicalTrays #Podcast
On Pathogens & PPE: What’s Hiding in Your Lumens
You followed the IFU. You brushed. You flushed. So it’s clean… right? On this week’s episode of “On Pathogens & PPE,” hosts Jill Holdsworth and Brandon Gantt are teaming up with Aaron Preston, Cheron Rojo, and Jahan Azizi to take a closer look at what’s hiding inside your lumen instruments. As more departments adopt borescopes, teams are uncovering retained debris, moisture, and internal damage that would have otherwise gone unnoticed, even when reprocessing steps were correctly followed. From understanding what you’re seeing to knowing what to do when something doesn’t look right, these experts highlight the gaps between process and proof and why education, training, and consistency are key to making borescopes part of your everyday workflow. Tune in today!
Over the next 12 weeks, Jill and special guests from across the industry will team up to share actionable strategies for fighting pathogens while building stronger partnerships between Sterile Processing and Infection Prevention teams. Whether you’re in SPD, IP, or both—this series is designed to empower you and your team with the knowledge and tools that make a real difference!
New episodes of On Pathogens & PPE will release each Tuesday on all Beyond Clean & Transmission Control channels. A special thanks to our Year 2 sponsor, Healthmark, A Getinge Company, for making this series possible.
#BeyondClean #TransmissionControl #Healthmark #Getinge #OnPathogensAndPPE #SterileProcessing #InfectionPrevention #Podcast
*Disclaimer: The views provided by hosts and guests on this series do not represent any employer, company, or third party, and are solely that of the individuals themselves.
SPD Fact Check – Workin’ at the Cart Wash: Exploring SPD’s Biggest Washer
Case carts in, case carts out—but do you really know what’s happening inside your SPD’s cart washer? On this episode of Beyond Clean, we’re joined by Angus Bruce as he breaks down what modern cart washers are actually capable of—and where teams can run into trouble without realizing it. From when it makes sense to run instruments through them to why your chemistries might be expiring in the detergent room, Angus walks us through the decisions that can’t be overlooked. He also highlights how gaps in maintenance and setup can quietly contribute to particulate contamination showing up in your surgical trays. Tune in as we take a closer look at one of the most relied-on pieces of equipment in your department. We hope you can join us!
After finishing this podcast episode, earn your 1 CE credit immediately by passing the short quiz linked here: https://www.flexiquiz.com/SC/N/episode32-02
Visit our CE Credit Hub at https://www.beyondcleanmedia.com/ce-credit-hub to access this quiz and over 350 other free CE credits.
#BeyondClean #SterileProcessing #Podcast #Season32 #SPDFactCheck #CartWasher #CaseCarts #Workflows #Maintenance #Detergents #SPDEquipment
From Speck to Source: What Exactly Is a “Black Speck?”
When a black speck shows up in a surgical tray, the first question is simple: “What is it?” But as many Sterile Processing teams discover, the answer is anything but straightforward. On this episode of “What the Speck?,” global reprocessing expert Dr. Gerhard Kirmse from Aesculap joins us to explore the science of identifying this pesky, unidentified debris and to tackle the question at the center of the mystery: “What exactly is a black speck?” From microscopic analysis and lab testing to on-site investigations inside washers, sterilizers, and steam systems, Dr. Kirmse explains how experts piece together the clues to uncover the real source behind these particles. Tune in to discover how science, collaboration, and a little detective work come together to solve one of SPD’s most frustrating mysteries.
Over the next 6 weeks, this series dives into one of sterile processing’s most frustrating challenges—black specks. From water and steam quality to department culture, risk assessments, and root cause analysis, we’re digging into every angle to uncover real answers (and real solutions) for your SPD.
A special thanks to our sponsor, Aesculap®, for supporting this podcast series!
#BeyondClean #Aesculap #SterileProcessing #WhatTheSpeck #BlackSpecks #SurgicalTrays #Podcast
On Pathogens & PPE: Getting Sterile Storage Right
Peel pouches hanging from clips, dust collecting in bins, trays stacked just a little too high… sound familiar? When it comes to sterile storage, small shortcuts can lead to big risks. On this episode of “On Pathogens & PPE,” host Jill Holdsworth and co-host Mark Copeland sit down with Tiffany Reece, Malinda Elammari, and Kendall Ashe to dive into the storage challenges showing up in sterile storage areas right now. From creative (but risky) space solutions to confusion around probe storage and vendor access, this group shares where things are breaking down and where teams can make quick changes. Tune in now and take a fresh look at your storage practices, because if it’s not stored right, it’s not ready for the patient.
Over the next 12 weeks, Jill and special guests from across the industry will team up to share actionable strategies for fighting pathogens while building stronger partnerships between Sterile Processing and Infection Prevention teams. Whether you’re in SPD, IP, or both—this series is designed to empower you and your team with the knowledge and tools that make a real difference!
New episodes of On Pathogens & PPE will release each Tuesday on all Beyond Clean & Transmission Control channels. A special thanks to our Year 2 sponsor, Healthmark, A Getinge Company, for making this series possible.
#BeyondClean #TransmissionControl #Healthmark #Getinge #OnPathogensAndPPE #SterileProcessing #InfectionPrevention #Podcast
*Disclaimer: The views provided by hosts and guests on this series do not represent any employer, company, or third party, and are solely that of the individuals themselves.
