decontamination

Question 1

what contributes to effective decontamination

Answer 1

facilities fit for purpose and well organised

equipment that is validated. undergoes testing and maintenance to ensure it is functioning correctly

establishment of a standardised decontamination process

effective management of process

staff trained in all decontamination procedures used in the practice.

Question 2

what are three three methods available to clean reusable instruments?

Answer 2

WD - preffered
manual
US bath

Question 3

PPE required for manual cleaning

Answer 3

household
gloves, facemasks, eye protection,
plastic disposable aprons and adequate
footwear

Question 4

5 stages of washer disinfector in order

Answer 4

flush
wash
rinse
thermal disinfect
dry

Question 5

temperature of flush stage of WD

Answer 5

<45 degrees celcius

Question 6

why is less than 45 degrees used to flush

Answer 6

to prevent protein coagulation or fixing of soil to the instrument

Question 7

purpose of flush stage

Answer 7

remove gross debris/contamination

Question 8

temperature of thermal disinfection stage of WD

Answer 8

80˚C for 10 minutes,
or 90˚C for 1 minute.

Question 9

purpose of wash stage

Answer 9

removes remaining soil - mechanical and chemical processes break up contamination

Question 10

purpose of rinse stage

Answer 10

removes detergent used in wash

Question 11

4 factors contributing to successful WD use

Answer 11

do not overload
open hinges and joints of instruments fully
follow written procedure based off manufacturer instructions
train staff on correct operation

Question 12

what should you not clean ultrasonically

Answer 12

handpiece

Question 13

4 ultrasonic cleaning procedures

Answer 13

Follow the practice’s written procedure based on the manufacturer’s instructions

run before loading to de gas

do not overload or overlap

Ensure that joints or hinges are opened fully and dissemble instruments

Question 14

disadvantages of manual cleaning

Answer 14

greater risk of sharps injury
cannot be validated
aerosol risk

Question 15

why cant instruments be air dried

Answer 15

inadequate drying might enable moisture to be trapped, promoting corrosion and/or
microbial growth

Question 16

general housekeeping checks for WD

Answer 16

checking the spray arm for rotation

checking the spray nozzles for blockage

removing and cleaning strainers and filters

Question 17

which guidelines provide technical guidance on how to choose, use and validate equipment for decontamination
processes?

Answer 17

SHTM - Scottish Health Technical Memoranda

SHTM 2030 for WD and US

SHTM 2010 for sterilization

Question 18

when do you wrap before sterilising?

Answer 18

when using a vacuum sterilizer

Question 19

what is the preffered temperature-pressure-time relationship for all small steam sterilizers?

Answer 19

134–137°C
2.1–2.25 bar guage pressure
at least a 3 minute

Question 20

steam steriliser temperature

Answer 20

134-137

Question 21

how does a type N remove air and what load can it carry?

Answer 21

passive removal of air gravity displacement by steam aka non-vacuum steriliser

unwrapped solid items-unsuitable for hollow or lumen

Question 22

how does a type B remove air and what load does it carry

Answer 22

Bader does it all

forced air removal using vacuum pump aka vacuum steriliser

wrapped or unwrapped solid or hollow instruments

Question 23

sterilized vs sterile what is difference

Answer 23

sterilised - have been cleaned, inspected and have undergone sterilisation unwrapped then stored in a way to limit re contamination

sterile - cleaned, inspected, wrapped then undergone sterilisation then stored in wrapping - can buy single use sterile items

Question 24

when do you perform steam penetration test

Answer 24

daily on type B or type S

Question 25

daily test for type N

Answer 25

automatic control test for all sterilisers

Question 26

what sterilisers can sterilise wrapped instruments?

Answer 26

type b vacuum steriliser or a compatible type S

Question 27

3 key things on storage of sterilzed instruments

Answer 27

dry - dampness
encourages growth of microorganisms and
corrosion of instruments

protected from contamination

stored correctly - storage of loose unwrapped instruments is unacceptable

Question 28

what information is required on the label attached to wrapping before vacuum steriliser

Answer 28

includes the word ‘Sterile’,
the process date
the sterilizer identification cycle number

Question 29

what are you inspecting for post sterilisation

Answer 29

dampness, tears, broken seals or any other damage
the label is intact and the details are legible
process indicator changed colour

Question 30

what is validation

Answer 30

Validation is a documented process used to show that procedure will repeatedly and consistently
take place to a satisfactory standard

Question 31

what is the bowie dick test used for

Answer 31

to test steam penetration in vacuum sterilisers