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R E P R O C E S S I N G
SOCIETY STANDARDS
What the Guidelines Say
SAFE SPEED Zach Schulz, CST, certified surgical technologist at Lancaster
General, readies a rapid-cycle load.
Here's a rundown of acceptable immediate-use sterilization prac-tices and key guidelines to follow at your facility:
• Establish standardized
practices and ensure staff is appropriately educated and trained on rapid-cycle competencies. Educational courses and certification resources are available through the Certification Board for Sterile Processing (sterileprocessing.org/cbspd.htm) and the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Material Management (iahcsmm.org).
• As with all instrument reprocessing, don't ignore the importance of proper cleaning, rinsing and decontamination before immediate-use sterilization cycles. Preparing instruments removes soils for effective sterilization.
• Always transfer instruments in an aseptic fashion — in a closed container, for example — from the OR to the sterile processing area, and from the sterilizer to the point of use.
• Follow instrument manufacturers' written instructions for immediate-use sterilization, and compare them to autoclaves' capabilities and closed containers' instructions for use. When an instrument manufacturer's instructions are unclear or contradict guidelines issued by the makers of the autoclave or closed container, call the instrument company for guid-
ance. If discrepancies between the various instructions cannot be resolved, the instrument manufacturer's instructions take precedence.
• Review physical, biological and chemical indicators to ensure sterilization cycles are effective.
• Never run immediate-use sterilization cycles for implants (unless in documented emergent situations); for the post-procedure sterilization of instruments used on patients who may have disorders or diseases such as Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease; for devices not validated for the intended sterilization cycle; and for sterile, single-use devices.
• Never run immediate-use cycles for convenience's sake. Have adequate instrument inventory to meet anticipated surgical volume and allow enough time between uses for completion of all phases of full-cycle reprocessing.
— Daniel Cook
