Safe and effective instrument processing is a key element of the infection prevention cycle. This process must meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements. The steps involved depend on whether the instruments are critical, semicritical, or noncritical. Critical and heat-resistant critical instruments must be heat-sterilized. Prior to heat sterilization, instruments are wrapped in appropriate FDA-cleared sterilization packaging, which must include chemical indicators. Sterilization processes must be tested for sterility assurance in accordance with the guidelines and all sterilization records maintained.
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
- Define the elements of the chain of infection.
- Delineate and describe the differences in the processing of critical, semicritical, and noncritical instruments.
- Review the use of presoaks and cleaning of instruments.
- List and describe heat sterilization options and appropriate sterilization packaging.
- Review the uses and purposes of mechanical, chemical, and biological indicators
