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N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | O U T P AT 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
I N S T R U M E N T R E P R O C E S S I N G
Start sterile processing on the right foot.
SPRAY IT DOWN
Enzymatic cleaners
can keep bioburden
from setting before
instruments are deliv-
ered to central sterile.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
Sue Klacik, BS, CRCST, ACE, FCS, CHL, CIS
Youngstown, Ohio
Sue Klacik, BS, CRCST, ACE, FCS, CHL, CIS
Youngstown, Ohio
T
he critical first steps in instrument reprocessing are
cleaning (removing visible soil and other foreign materi-
al) and decontamination (removing or reducing infec-
tious organisms) through manual and mechanical
efforts. Carrying them out depends on the consistency
of your staff's practices and their using the correct cleaning imple-
ments (correct type of brush and brush size) that assist in the task.
Here's a step-by-step overview.
Point-of-use pre-cleaning
For best results, reprocessing of instruments should begin in the
OR or the procedure room during between-case turnovers. Some
instrument manufacturers' instructions for use (IFU) recommend
cleaning begin at the point of use, but in the absence of specific,
validated instructions, you can follow sterile processing stan-
