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S T E R I L I Z A T I O N
A S S U R A N C E
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Chemical indicators must be placed
where it's difficult for steam to reach.
Are Your
Instruments
Really Sterile?
They are if you understand how indicators
work and what sterilizer printouts say.
Nancy Chobin, RN, AAS, ACSP CSPDM | West Orange, N.J.
,
I
n my travels as a sterile processing educator and consultant, I've
seen instrument reprocessing staffs make the same mistakes
when using chemical and biological indicators, and reading steril-
izer printouts. Let's review some common oversights to ensure you're
not jeopardizing instrument sterility in your facility.
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | J A N U A R Y 2013