Shunyu Yao,1,2 Liangying Yi,1,2 Ruixue Hu,1,2 Yanhua Chen,1,2 Wei Pan,1,2 Jinhui Zhang,1,2 Xiaochun Zhao1,2 

1Department of Sterile Processing Nursing, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 2Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Liangying Yi, Department of Sterile Processing Nursing, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 20 section 3, South Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, People’s Republic of China, Email yiliangying88@163.com

Background: The occurrence of foreign objects in sterile packages may delay surgeries and affect the quality of medical treatment.
Purpose: This study aimed to use the task-oriented quality control circle (QCC) to build the central sterile supply department (CSSD) quality control system for foreign objects remaining in sterile packages.
Methods: A task-oriented QCC was created under the leadership of the CSSD within our hospital. The following were investigated by determining a topic and a task, setting targets, formulating strategies and determining optimal strategies: incidence of foreign objects remaining in sorted and folded textiles; incidence of foreign objects remaining in contaminated instrument packages; incidence of foreign objects remaining in clean textiles; incidence of complaints for foreign objects remaining in sterile packages; and satisfaction among the CSSD and operating room staff.
Results: The incidence of foreign objects remaining in contaminated textiles decreased from 7.1% to 0.96%. The incidence of foreign objects remaining in contaminated instrument packages decreased from 0.27% to 0.04%. The incidence of foreign objects remaining in clean textiles decreased from 2.91% to 0.21%. The incidence of complaints received from operating room staff for foreign objects remaining in sterile packages decreased from 41.69% to 0. Satisfaction among the operating room and CSSD staff was improved from 53.7% to 100%.
Conclusion: The task-oriented QCC could reduce the incidence of foreign objects remaining in sterile packages, thereby reducing the quality defect rates in instrument packaging.

Keywords: task oriented, quality control circle, sterile packages, foreign objects, central sterile supply department