title: Recommended cleaning and processing of flexible otolaryngology endoscopes.
abstract: Uncertainty about endoscope reprocessing in the Otorhinolaryngology (ORL) office setting continues today especially regarding the care and cleaning of flexible endoscopes. In an effort to answer questions concerning how, when and how long to process endoscopes in the outpatient office, the Society of Otorhinolaryngology Nurses (SOHN) has partnered with the Association of periOperative Nurses (AORN) to establish standards for all Otolaryngology nurses to adopt and utilize, ensuring a safe and effective methodology for cleaning flexible endoscopes in the outpatient ORL office. This protocol has been approved by the SOHN Board of Directors as the recommended guideline for ORL nurses to follow when performing endoscope reprocessing in the outpatient ORL office.
authors.affiliation: Nursing Faculty, Everest University School of Nursing, USA.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D019723:Endoscopes / Q000382:microbiology*; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017743:Equipment Reuse; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010038:Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases / Q000451:nursing