Point-of-Use Care
POU treatment starts immediately after this.
What is: instrument use.
This step must happen before disinfection or sterilization.
What is: cleaning.
The gold standard for sterilization.
What is: steam sterilization.
Low-temperature sterilization operates below approximately this temperature.
What is: 60°C.
PPE item required specifically when a splash risk exists.
What is a: face shield.
The golden rule of POU care.
What is: Never allow to dry before cleaning.
Disinfection eliminates most pathogens but does NOT destroy these.
What are: bacterial spores.
The typical temperature for a gravity steam sterilization cycle.
What is: 250°F.
These types of devices require low-temperature sterilization.
What are: heat- and moisture-sensitive devices.
The three types of sterilizer monitoring.
What are: mechanical, chemical, and biological.
Type of instrument that must be flushed at point-of-use.
What is a: lumened instrument.
The process that destroys ALL microorganisms, including spores.
What is: sterilization.
The four critical factors steam sterilization depends on.
What are: steam quality, temperature, pressure, and exposure time.
Two common low-temperature sterilization technologies.
What are: VHP and EtO (ethylene oxide).
An organization whose sterile processing guidelines must be followed.
What is: AAMI (or AORN, CDC, or WHO).
POU care prevents blood and debris from forming this, which impairs cleaning.
What is: biofilm.
The number of microorganisms on a contaminated object; also called bioload.
What is: bioburden.
Sterilizers that use repeated steam flushes and pressure pulses to remove air.
What are: steam flush-pressure pulse (SFPP) sterilizers.
Low-temperature method used primarily for immersible devices.
What is: peracetic acid.
These must be followed alongside manufacturer instructions.
What are: the most current organizational policies.
Required type of container for transporting contaminated instruments.
What is a: closed, labeled container.
When sterilization is complete, instruments are safe for these procedures.
What are: invasive procedures.
The key difference between terminal sterilization and flash sterilization.
What is: terminal = packaged; flash = unpackaged.
A challenge specific to EtO sterilization not shared by steam.
What are: longer cycle times and required aeration.
Quality assurance measure that supports traceability of sterilized items.
What is: documentation.