Reprocessing Basics
The process that makes reusable medical devices safe for patient use through cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization.
What is reprocessing?
These products are used on living tissue to reduce microorganisms.
What are antiseptics?
Equipment is classified using this system.
What is Spaulding Classification?
These indicators answer the question, "Was it exposed?
What are chemical indicators?
Only this number of instruments should be placed in each self-sealing pouch.
What is one instrument per pouch?
This step removes organic material such as blood, mucus, and tissue debris.
What is cleaning?
These products are used on non-living surfaces to eliminate microorganisms.
What are disinfectants?
Instruments that enter sterile tissue or the uterine cavity belong to this category.
What is Critical equipment?
These indicators are considered the gold standard for monitoring sterilization effectiveness.
What are biological indicators?
When labeling sterilization pouches, these three pieces of information must be included.
What are the date, initials, and load number?
This is the primary goal of instrument reprocessing.
What is preventing the spread of infection and ensuring patient safety?
This enzymatic cleaner is used in our clinics to remove organic debris.
What is Empower?
A vaginal speculum falls into this classification.
What is Semi-Critical equipment?
Internal and external indicators are examples of this type of indicator.
What are chemical indicators?
Packages should be loaded in the autoclave this way to allow steam circulation and effective sterilization.
What is without touching or overlapping?
The recommended workflow direction in a reprocessing area.
What is dirty-to-clean workflow?
Empower should be prepared using this amount of solution per gallon of water.
What is 30 mL per 1 gallon?
A blood pressure cuff is classified as this.
What is Non-Critical equipment?
Chemical indicators change this when sterilization conditions are reached.
What is colour (or appearance)?
This type of water should be used in the autoclave.
What is distilled water?
The correct order of the main reprocessing steps.
What are pre-cleaning, transport, cleaning, disinfection (if applicable), packaging, sterilization/autoclaving, and storage?
Instruments should be placed into Empower as soon as possible after use to prevent this.
What is debris drying onto the instrument?
This body site is considered sterile and makes many IUD instruments critical devices.
What is the uterine cavity?
Biological indicators use these resistant organisms to verify sterilization.
What are bacterial spores?
After sterilization, packages with this condition are no longer considered sterile and must be reprocessed.
What are wet packs?