Labels for sterilised items

LTrace provides the ability for CSSD and CSU to print customisable labels for sterilised items.

Many sterilisation departments rely upon staff manually writing on the outside of an item to identify what is inside the wrapping. This has many problems including:

• Illegible hand writing
• Misspelt names: OK, this isn’t life threatening, but it isn’t very professional
• Incorrectly names items
• Ambigously named items
• Large space required to ensure legibility
• Poor location of writing which may be hidden when packed

LTrace provides the benefits of having customised label templates. The templates determine where text will go and how it will appear, while specific information is taken from the item.

For example, a label could contain:

• The name of the item in clear, easy to read print
• The department that requires the item
• The location where the item is to be stored such as the cupboard number. This stops new staff storing it in the wrong location.
• The date the item was sterilised to help staff identify old stock that may need to be resterilised
• A disclaimer such as “Unsterile if opened or torn”
• The name of the facility
• Warnings

The label itself is also reasonably small and staff should place it in a location that is easy to read when the item is on a trolley or shelf. It’s small size allows it to fit on most trays or steripeel items with ease.

LTrace itself has features such as on-screen photos to ensure that items are correctly identified before the label is printed.

The labels for sterilised items play a critical role in ensuring the hassle free management of trays and instruments within a hospital, dental practice or GP.