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S T A M P I N G
O U T
S S I
S
SPD SUCCESS
4 Tips for Getting Low-Temperature Sterilization Right
1. Clean first. You must first decontaminate instruments and devices before you can
run them through a low-temp sterilization cycle.
2. After decontamination, let devices dry completely before you place them in a lowtemp sterilizer, as moist items cause reprocessing cycles to abort. Of the many drying
methods available (including compressed air), we've found that an automated drying
unit — a heated cabinet with hooks and shelves for hanging and placing devices — is
the most effective, albeit not the fastest, method to prepare items for low-temp sterilizing. A full drying cycle lasts about an hour, depending on the mass and density of the
items that must dry.
3. Don't overload. Once devices are dry, they're ready to be wrapped and placed in the
low-temperature sterilizer. Avoid trying to jam too many items into the machine; if you
overload the unit, reprocessing cycles will abort. Ensure your sterile processing staff
knows how many devices can make up a load without jeopardizing the completion of a
cycle. In general, you should place items far enough apart for air to circulate through
the unit, but pay close attention to the sterilizer's instructions for definitive guidelines
on how to properly load it.
4. Have a backup. Even if you're currently working with a single unit that can handle
your instrumentation load, consider purchasing an additional unit that can reprocess
items in the event the other unit breaks down. The expense of buying an additional unit
will pale in comparison to the cost of canceling or delaying lucrative cases due to
aborted cycles or units that need servicing.
— Judy Goldberg, MSN, RN, CNOR, CRCST
Ms. Goldberg (goldb em@msn.com) is clinical director of endoscopy and the sterile processing department at the William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, Conn.
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