Good morning ladies and gentlemen, It is my honour to ... - Sterivita.lv

Good morning ladies and gentlemen,
It is my honour to welcome you to the 12 th congress of the WFHSS.
After the previous, successful conference, organized by SOBECC in
Sao Paolo, we remain in the same language area. Beforehand I would
like to thank ANES, and Luisa Nogueira and her team in specific, for
the invitation, the perfect choice of location, the fluent cooperation,
the exemplary organization, but most of all for the warm, Portuguese
hospitality.
As I already wrote in my welcome message: In choosing for Estoril we
make a date with history because the Portuguese explorers were the
first to cross the oceans and thus they started the process of
interaction between the continents. From the 15 th century onwards,
they determined to a large extent not only our view on the world, but
also the other way round. In its domain the WFHSS is following in
their footsteps by bringing together sterilization associations and
members of staff working in sterilization departments all over the
world. In this way we try to enhance the harmonization of
decontamination practices and of the sterilization departments. Our
aim is, by making the world of sterilization "smaller", to bring the
basic right of every patient, to be treated with a medical device of a
good quality, closer by. However, in contrast to the conquistadores,
we do not intend to impose our philosophy and views. What we do
want is to exchange information, present insights and ideas, and test
these against other people’s opinion. We want to engage in a
dialogue in which all parties involved are equal partners. Thus, it is a
reactive model which can only work and hold out if it is reciprocal. In
this case, sterilization can make quick and “real” progress.

Also on national level a similar kind of interaction between the
departments should be achieved. To realize this is a task that belongs
to the associations. They are in the best position to act intermediary
because they are the most important carriers of information to the
departments. It is mainly thanks to the associations that during the
previous decades sterilization dramatically improved. In light of the
growing knowledge and insights, the increasing quality claims which
are in connection, amongst others, with the appearance of new
forms of disease, the instrumentation which becomes more and
more complex, the increasing amount of surgeries, the rapidly
evolving hospital context, this was and is no unnecessary luxury.
Everyone who is a member of an association, will undoubtedly agree
with this and will confirm its importance for the progress of daily
practice.
Therefore, I would like to direct myself to those people in the
audience who originate from those countries where no associations
exist at the moment. I would like to ask them to do everything they
can to found a national sterilization association. A collective approach
is the best condition for individual progress. An old Chinese proverb
that suits perfectly in this context, says: “If you want to go fast, go
alone. If you want to go far, go together”. The “higher” aim of an
association has to be that each of her departments delivers at least a
basic service and guarantees at least a basic quality.
Peter Hooper recently told me that he was surprised that “although
he already visited a great deal of sterilization departments, he had
never seen a department that is identical to another. They are all
different”. Despite the fact that we draw on the same sources,
namely directives, norms, guidelines, recommendations and more or
less standardized trainings, it seems that the texts are divergently
interpreted and thus differently put to practice. Sometimes

sterilization seems to be” A most individual expression of a most
individual emotion”. Of course local factors such as access roads,
space available and resources play an important role. Nevertheless
the question remains if we should not be searching for a consensus
about what an ideal department can be and evolve in that direction
Because for the moment the “state of art” in sterilization has various
ends. Even if the roads are not the same, they should, eventually,
converge in the same goal: the delivery of a reproducible, qualitative
medical device, at the best price.
Taking the first step is maybe the hardest one, but at the same time it
is also the most important phase of the process. Progress must be
made on the basis of evidence, knowledge and experience or on a
fundamental attitude like Immanuel Kant, an 18 th century German
philosopher, described of: “Sapere aude” or “dare to know”. In other
words progress must be made on the courage to listen to your own
mind. I would like to add another dimension here: we also must have
the courage to consequently implement our expertise. Sterilization
has need of this, because sterilization has problems with letting go of
traditions and habitual routines, with making the final step to a
contemporary department. Two examples and questions at the same
time: During my visits to departments I often record that not all of
the instruments are treated in the central department. The belief and
confidence in one’s own knowledge and skills must surely by now be
big enough to adequately treat, for example, also the delicate
ophthalmological instruments in the CSSD . And is it really necessary
to build in a control of the control of the control Once again, we
must be prepared to take up our responsibilities. Choosing for
security should suffice. To maximize security is not what is required.
It becomes time to rediscover the essence in sterilization.

In order to be able to do so, it is necessary that the department does
not only have enough employees, but most of all has the appropriate
employees. Because the human factor still is the factor with the
greatest impact on the course of the process and thus on the final
result. The latter is the result of teamwork. It is important that every
employee can rely on his colleagues and vice versa. Thus, we have to
hire employees which – apart of competence, as this speaks for itself
— have the right skills and attitude and are enthusiastic to work in
sterilization. This is even more the case for the person in charge of
the department. He or she has a big responsibility. Because the level,
the perception, the appreciation of the department depend largely
on the charisma and the dynamism of the manager! Besides
selection, education remains, as already mentioned before, a basic
element. The three level program of the WFHSS still is the model for
this.
A good selection procedure undoubtedly has the side effect that
“brain drain” can be prevented. The last is a phenomenon which
recently struck me in several countries, especially with regard to the
responsibles of sterilization departments. It is essential that
sterilization keeps attracting also academics to preserve the
scientific level and to build up credibility in the hospital. Having
background information at one’s disposal, having the opportunity to
increase knowledge and developing his/her own personality, is
necessary to keep this job fascinating and interesting. Also, the
further integration of a department in a hospital can contribute to
this. For quite a while sterilization is no longer an island. Making an
important contribution to the success of the whole can work
stimulating and contain new, attractive challenges. In this way the
department can, for example, play a bigger role in efficient hospital
logistics. Preparing “case carts” is an excellent and functional

example of this. Furthermore, the CSSD as expert in the field of
cleaning and disinfecting can not only play an important advising, but
also active role with this kind of procedures on the nursing
departments and outpatient clinics.
Following the example of Diaz, Magalhaes and Vasco da Gama we too
should have the courage of exploring new territories and push back
our frontiers. Mental barriers have to be dismantled and replaced by
an openness of mind, which should make innovation and progress
possible. An inquisitive stance should stimulate us to look over the
walls of the CSSD and lead to a better integration of the sterilization
department into the caring processes and into the hospital.
A congress is not only a forum where the present and the future
world, industry and working field, science and sterilization practice
come together but it is first and foremost a place where people can
meet face to face. This provides an additional value, which cannot be
realized by reading a scientific article.
Therefore I trust that this congress can once again become the
meeting place of the sterilization world. Together we can determine
the road ahead and navigate the state-of-the-art. We hope our 12 th
congress will become an inspiring, scientific happening.
Thanks for being here, for your support. Enjoy the conference,
Wim Renders
Brugge, 03/08/2011