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ti <br />r� <br />At 11:20 a.m., Doug Wilson and I arrived at Dameron Hospital's <br />northeast corner (Magnolia and Lincoln Streets) where the <br />San -i -Pak steam sterilizer equipment is located. <br />Mr. Wilson introduced me to Linda Knowles, R.N. John Dakopolos, <br />Chief Engineer, introduced himself by card. Also present were <br />Barbara Ladd and Rose Grimaldi, Housekeeping Supervisors. <br />A load of medical waste had just completed the San -i -Pak <br />sterilization cycle. Mr. Wilson and I requested to see the <br />processed bags. The sterilizer was opened and three bags were <br />removed. There was blood still visible in the clear outer bag <br />and the bags, both inner and outer, appeared moist. Mr. Wilson <br />and I looked for an indicator on the bags to verify proper <br />processing. There was no indicator visible. <br />Mr. Wilson asked, "Do you have any test tape?" Linda Knowles <br />replied, "You mean like on me? No. We'll put some on from now <br />on.t1 Ms. Knowles left to obtain some indicator tape. Mr. Wilson <br />continued, "How do you know the waste is properly processed? The <br />bags should be crunched down and the color tape indicator would <br />be indicating (bag) sterilized. These bags aren't crinkled and <br />there is no color change indicator. Aren't these bags supposed <br />to change color? Aren't there any indicators on the bags?" <br />Ms. Knowles had returned. She looked at the bags and told us the <br />bags were supposed to be red. Ms. Knowles did not know where the <br />indicator strip was on the bag itself. Ms. Knowles said, "I'm <br />sorry we didn't see this on Tuesday. Maybe we could have stopped <br />it (improper disposal)." Ms. Knowles gave Mr. Wilson a roll of <br />tape. <br />Mr. Wilson took the tape, "See these stripes? This tape turns <br />black after processing. You need to check (bags) at least once a <br />day and inspect loads before they go in the compactor." <br />Ms. Ladd and Mr. Guillen put two strips of indicator tape on two <br />bags. The bags were pushed into the sterilizer with a metal rod. <br />The third bag Mr. Guillen took a metal sprayer located on the <br />San -i -Pak poked a hole in the clear outer bag and gave it a <br />squirt of water. The third bag was marked with three pieces of <br />heat sensitive tape. Mr. Wilson explained to Ms. Knowles that <br />she would probably need tape on an inner bag to assure <br />sterilization in the center of the bag. <br />The temperature of the sterilizer was 250°F. I noted a new chart <br />had been placed on the recorder on Tuesday, August 25, 1992. it <br />was dated on the wrong day and the chart was recording on <br />Thursday, noon section instead of the correct day of Friday, <br />noon. <br />2 <br />