Surveyors also want to
see an ultrasonic cleaning
machine for use after the
devices are washed in the
sink and before they go to
the washer-disinfector.
Hint: Make sure you follow
device manufacturers'
IFUs in the ultrasonic
cleaner.
Be sure to monitor the
temperature of the water
in the sink. Device manufacturers' IFUs will provide a temperature
range. Also monitor how much enzymatic solution you put in the
water. The manufacturer of the ultrasonic cleaner will provide a pump
that will dilute the water, so you don't have to worry about manually
pumping the solution into a gallon of water. Be sure to test the pump
daily to ensure that it's working properly.
Surveyors will check for adequate lighting near the sink and observe
your reprocessing techs don and doff personal protective equipment to
ensure they do it properly. Do you test your ultrasonic and washer-disin-
fectors daily? The inspectors will review your daily logs, so make sure
you document the testing. Finally, do you know how to change the
cleaning times on the ultrasonic cleaner? Typically, they are pre-set to 5
or 6 minutes, but device manufacturers might want items cleaned for 15
minutes or longer.
3. Instrument inspection and assembly.
Make sure cutting
devices are cutting, and clamps are clamping. Sounds simple, but not
all surgical facilities do that, which is bad during an inspection or oth-
A U G U S T 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 1 0 3
• DAILY CHECKUP Test the sterilizer daily for 3 things: time, temperature
and pressure.
