Major investment at Campbellton Regional Hospital
Campbellton, Monday, December 19, 2022 – Vitalité Health Network recently invested $1.72 million in a major renovation project in the Sterilization Department of the Campbellton Regional Hospital.
Some MDRD employees at work, taking full advantage of the modern facilities and cutting-edge equipment.
According to Stéphane Legacy, Senior Vice-President of Corporate Services and Outpatient and Professional Services, the work took place over a 12-month period in the middle of the pandemic – quite an achievement in itself. “The area was completely renovated. Equipment at the end of its useful life was replaced by new, cutting-edge equipment and the department was revamped to meet current regulatory requirements,” he said. The department’s operations were temporarily relocated elsewhere in the hospital while the work was underway.
The department also underwent a name change – from “Sterilization Department” to “Medical Device Reprocessing Department.” The cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, storage and distribution of medical devices is centralized there. Medical devices must be reprocessed before they can be reused. “Although this field remains relatively unknown, it is crucial to the smooth operation of any hospital and to patient care delivery,” Mr. Legacy continued.
MDRDs require specialized skills
The Network is collaborating with the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) and Horizon Health Network to offer medical device reprocessing technician training. This training has been delivered since October 2020 in both English and French. The program features continuous intake, which means that students can enrol at any time. It is a maximum 36-weeks in length and includes online theoretical courses as well as a 400-hour practicum. The program prepares students to take the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) certification examination, which is now required to practise in this field in New Brunswick.
To date, approximately 20 people have completed the training and found employment in this specialty. The program is meeting a need, with the Network forecasting strong demand in this area in coming years.
A group of employees standing proudly in front of the entrance to the completely renovated Medical Device Reprocessing Department (MDRD) at Campbellton Regional Hospital. In front, from left to right: Maxime Conrad Saulnier, Director of Hospital Activities, Elise Landry, Sylvette Bujold, Nadine Haché and Nicole Savoie. In the back: Robert Firth, Jason Lavigne, Derrick Maxwell, and Danielle Leblanc, MDRD Coordinator.
