In the health industry, it is of the utmost importance that every facility is in compliance with sterility standards. If the standards are compromised in any way, the consequences could be detrimental to the patient as well as the health care professional. That is why it is so important to clearly understand all new standards that are put in place, such as USP 797, to ensure the business meets all government standards.
USP 797 is the first set of enforceable standards for sterile compounding put in place by United States Pharmacopeia. The standards outline the procedures that must be followed in order for a facility to be considered sterile and safe. The United States Pharmacopeia has issued detailed guidelines and procedures so that every facility can make sure they are within the requirements.
There are many different facilities in which sterile compounding takes place and some may not be sure if the USP 797 standards apply to them. In fact, USP 797 applies to anyone who prepares sterile compounded preparations, whether they are in a private practice, hospital, clinic or pharmacy. Every doctor, nurse and technician who is involved in the process must comply with the standards.
The first step to getting in line with the standards is determining the level of risk in the facility. Once that is done, it is necessary to come up with a plan for reducing the risk and complying with USP 797. Although some instances may require dramatic changes, it often only takes something as simple as getting improved gowns and gloves or implementing a new hand washing procedure.
In order to determine the risk, it is necessary to sample the viable particle count in the facility. This is done by sampling and testing several locations in the facility, including particles that may be airborne. Although this can be done by the professionals within the practice, there are also labs that can conduct this testing and provide the results.
Complying with USP 797 may seem like a daunting task but it is possible that only very small changes will need to be made. If a practice or pharmacy thinks that something more complicated may be necessary, they may want to work with a lab that specializes in USP 797 to come up with a plan. Once they have designed and implemented an action plan, they will find that sterile compounding is safer and more effective for patients and employees. sterile processing technician salary
