In the constant hustle and bustle of life when working in healthcare, it is really hard to stop and take a moment to read yet another little booklet of instructions on how to use a new version of an old product that you have used a thousand times before. Instructions for use, or IFUs, are a dime a dozen; there is one manual for every product we use, from chemicals, to medical devices, to even wipes. Why take the time out of a hectic day and add to your already heavy workload just to read a set of IFUs that will probably say the most obvious things like, “Do not ingest glutaraldehyde”?
Though they are often uninteresting, simply reading through those dull IFUs can actually have a big impact and prevent a lot of hardship. Knowing and implementing the proper IFUs can protect you and your coworkers from harm, safeguard patients’ health and safety, save your facility thousands of dollars, and can even help improve the state of healthcare across the country.
Products you use regularly can be updated or changed in various ways, but these changes are not always obvious on the surface. When this happens, the manufacturer will be sure to update the IFUs in accordance with the changes made. If users are not careful to read through these instructions, catastrophe can follow. Whether that comes from using too much high-level disinfectant leading to increased fumes, or from leaving an expensive probe soaking in a cleaning solution that is not strong enough to get the job done, there can be serious consequences for not staying up to date on each product’s IFU.
Problems also arise from staff turnover and shortages, which are currently at all-time highs. Unfortunately, it seems like the worst is not behind us. According to Wolters Kluwer, “A 2022 national nursing workforce report predicts that the nursing shortage will intensify through at least 2023.” As more and more shifts occur within a facility and people come and go, the chances of mistakes increase. If your facility makes it a way of life, part of the culture of the workplace, to read IFUs and keep them readily available and easily accessible, many slipups can be prevented. New employees may think they know how to use a product or device because they have used a similar one before. This could lead to damaged equipment or even the spread of an HAI if proper reprocessing procedures are not followed.
By following each product’s intended use and carefully reading all IFUs, workloads can actually be reduced because you will not need time to fix mistakes and deal with damaged devices. Your safety and the safety of your coworkers can be jeopardized if IFUs are not followed. For example, if a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) ultrasound probe is being manually cleaned and IFUs are not followed, the solution for soaking could be too strong or even made with the wrong chemical. This could mean that the room is flooded with dangerous vapors, putting health at risk.
Patients’ health is the most easily put at risk by a reluctance to read and follow IFUs. If TEE probes and other reusable medical devices are not high-level disinfected because of a lack of proper procedure, patients could be exposed to harmful or even deadly bacteria. Additionally, if IFUs are not followed, it could cause damage to equipment, like TEE probes. Depending on the kind of damage, it could cause the probe to have an electrical leak. If a probe with an electrical leak is used on a patient, they could be electrocuted and develop serious complications or even die. These disastrous consequences would also impact the reputation and bottom line of your healthcare facility, leading to distrust within the community and significant financial losses. The waste, misuse, and destruction of chemicals and medical devices also has an impact on the landscape of healthcare nationwide. Each needless replacement and careless expenditure drives up the cost of healthcare for everyone.
All these repercussions are entirely avoidable if healthcare facilities and employees make a concerted effort to stay informed and up to date on each product’s latest IFU. While completely eliminating the need for IFUs is not possible, it is possible to simplify your reprocessing procedure so that fewer IFUs need to be maintained. By automating more of the reprocessing procedure, for example, less is left up to keeping up with IFUs and more energy can be spent tending to other more pressing matters. The TEEClean® Automated TEE Probe Cleaner Disinfector removes many opportunities for mistakes and failure by automating both the cleaning and disinfection steps.
It is certainly true that IFUs do not make for the most stimulating read, but investing the time and energy to read them can make an enormous difference to you, your patients, your facility, and healthcare overall.
