Manual cleaning of endoscopes is a physically demanding task, and reprocessing staff regularly experience discomfort from leaning over sinks, scrubbing and standing for long hours. This physical strain can compromise the effectiveness of endoscope reprocessing, potentially putting patients at risk.
A survey of 341 endoscope reprocessing staff showed that over 75% of respondents experience fatigue or discomfort as a result of cleaning endoscopes.1 The most affected areas of the body were the lower back, neck, and shoulders. This is not only an issue for the wellbeing of individual staff, but for the effectiveness of manual cleaning more broadly – 64% of respondents reported that their physical discomfort made manual cleaning both more challenging and less effective. Uncomfortable heights of work surfaces and small, restrictive cleaning areas were highlighted as potential contributors to this issue.
The use of automated cleaning methods has been shown to alleviate some of the physical burden of endoscope reprocessing. In a study comparing reprocessing practices before and after the adoption of automated endoscope cleaning, the majority of participants initially reported occupational health issues such as pain, flexibility problems, and numbness.2 Nearly one third of participants reported that these symptoms interfered with their ability to function both at work and outside of work. After 6 months of using an automated reprocessing method, physical discomfort decreased. Only 25% of staff using an automated cleaning method reported physical symptoms at the 6-month follow-up, compared to 90% of those performing manual cleaning. Introducing automation to any part of the manual cleaning process could help reduce the physical strain on reprocessing staff.
1. Sivek AD, Davis J, Tremoulet P, et al. Am J Infect Control. 2022;50(9):1038-1048.
2. Ofstead, C. L., Wetzler, H. P., Snyder, A. K, et al. Gastroenterol Nurs 2010; 33: 304–311
