Sterilization
Proper Cleaning and Proper Packaging
What are requirements before Sterilization?
Recommended for delicate instruments, items with lumens and items that cannot be immersed in water, (some scopes and all powered equipment).
What is hand washing?
Used on inanimate objects
What is disinfectant?
Items that come in contact with intact skin.
What is Non-critical?
Cycle parameters include time, temperature, pressure or exhaust, designed to react to all critical sterilization parameters, should be used with a challenge device to monitor each load containing implants, and may be used as a basis for early release in an emergency.
What is a Class 5 Indicator?
The initial and most critical step in breaking the chain of disease.
What is AORN's definition of decontamination?
Must have tamper evident seal, allows visualization of package containers, used to package individual items, Tyvec material must be used with Sterrad.
What is packaging peel packs
Used on human skin.
What is antiseptic?
Items which enter sterile tissue or the vascular system.
What is Critical?
May be a Class III, IV, or V, all packages must contain on each level of the internal package.
What is an Internal Chemical Indicators?
Transports in leak proof cart with biohazard label, box locks open, heavier items on the bottom, separate sharps, Keep moist to prevent drying of organic debris during transport
What is Decontamination Sorting?
Shelf-life of a packaged sterile item.
What is Event-Related Sterility?
High level disinfectant, very toxic rinse well
What is Glutaraldehyde (Cidex)?
Items that come in contact with non-intact skin or mucous membranes.
What is semi-critical?
Used to verify that an item has been exposed to one or more conditions necessary for sterilization, does not establish whether an item is sterile, external and internal indicators.
What is Chemical Monitoring?
To prevent contamination of other areas, all doors should be closed, 6 air exchanges per hour, temp between 72-78 degrees, humidity between 35%-60%, air flow should result in negative pressure
What is Controlled Environment?
Time, temperature, pressure.
What are Sterilization Parameters?
Nonglutaraldehyde based high level disinfectant, will stain protein and tissue, immersed for 12 minutes at room temperature
What is Ortho-phthaldehyde (Omnicide)?
Surgical instruments, endoscopes and cutting accessories, ultrasound probes that enter sterile body cavities, urinary and cardiac catheters, implants, needles.
What is critical?
All packages must have, allows the user to see that the package has been exposed to a sterilization process, respond to one sterilization parameter (temperature).
What is Class I External Monitoring?
Provide direction for care, cleaning, handling, and correct use.
What are Manufacturer's Instructions?
1. Tag sterilizer out of service.
2. Notify infection control and appropriate departments
3. Initiate sterilizer repair.
4.Testunit until 3 consecutive acceptable BI results are achieved before using.
5. Reprocess all unused items that were sterilized in the broken sterilizer since the last negative BI.
6. If operator error, reprocess the particular load that presented positive BI results.
What are Steps to Follow Sterilizer Failure?
Determines the correct processing method for instrumentation, critical, semi-critical, and noncritical
What is Spalding Classification System?
Rrespiratory therapy and anesthesia equipment, bronchoscopes and GI endoscopes.
What is semi-critical?
Respond to two or more parameters.
What are Class IV indicators?