Margaret Wood

Story and Photo by Jeremiah Kalb Each year in the United States, there are approximately 53 million outpatient surgical procedures and 46 million inpatient surgical procedures. All of these procedures introduce a significant risk to the patient – infection. Bacteria like Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Pseudomonas left on surgical instruments can infect the surgical site and lead to patients becoming gravely ill and requiring further medical attention following surgery. If surgical instruments are not sterile, this may also mean spreading serious illnesses or diseases such as HIV/AIDs, Hepatitis, and more. Central Sterile Processing Supervisor Margaret Wood’s job is to lead a mighty team of three technicians that help eliminate all pathogenic microorganisms. Sterilization ensures that infectious pathogens do not transfer to the patient. “Because of our work, patients can safely undergo surgery,” Wood explains. She sees Central Sterile as a critical part of the hospital’s backbone. It’s safe to say that...