One of the main issues at work is the back order of supplies for testing and general operations. The Covid-19 pandemic has shown how weak our supply chain is around the world. As a result, the lab had to improvise with alternative methods or media to carry out testing. Back orders create inconveniences, at least. At its worst, it could put a monkey wrench in patient care.
Of course, it's not all bad. The back orders allowed the department to explore other products. A reduction of workload during the lockdowns helped with introspection in other areas. One such example is replacing the Vesphene disinfectant we've been using for years.
It did its job all right. Although it was a nasty substance that required dilution. It also had a habit of creating viscous sludges after we dump infectious agents into them. It's not uncommon for the said sludge to become hardened mass that stick to surfaces if left on its own.
An example of a hardened mass is in the top right of that image. I'm often perplexed as to how there are no clogs in our pipe works. Or, none of us know about it most likely because maintenance and engineering don't tell us about it.
When the last stock of Vesphene ran out, the department was able to carry on with an alternative. We often joke and say it's the "toxic baby wipes". It's been a staple surface cleaners for ages. Turned out, we were able to use the excess liquid in the container and the wipes as substitutes. That is, until the shipment of the new product came. Good ol' Sani-cloth.
Since then, the lab has switched over to ProSpray. It has the consistency of household bleach, but smells much nicer. The best part was that it didn't create nasty sludges. Our test cultures all came back with no microorganism growth. So, it works as advertised, for now. I do like the lemon scent, but that has no bearing on its effectiveness.
It's noteworthy that disinfectant kills most things, but not all things. While I can use ProSpray in a biohazard level 3 room, there are other disinfectants for more hardy things. That's story for another time.
How about that? Did you or your organization make inventory changes during the pandemic?
