VAOIG Finds Unsantized Intruments at Jackson-VA

Full Article at: Government says unsanitized instruments found
Oct 21, 2010 2:09pm

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — "The Veterans Administration hospital in Jackson, Miss., improperly cleaned and poorly sanitized instruments that were distributed to clinics and operating rooms, according to a government report.

The report by the Department of Veterans Affairs' inspector general's office confirmed many of the allegations brought by an unidentified whistleblower several months ago. The hospital's chief of staff said no patients were harmed by the situation."

"The IG report was released Thursday by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, which handles federal whistle-blower complaints. The report has been forwarded to the president and congressional oversight committees."

"Among the findings were that dirty and rust-stained instruments — such as scalpels, blade handles, tissue and nail clippers and bone cutters — were issued for use within the facility."

"The report found that prior to 2006, providers at the VA's podiatry clinic often had a shortage of instruments, which led to the reuse of unsterilized items. The OSC said that problem was resolved by the purchase of additional instruments."