Decontamination and Disinfection Flashcards
Define cleaning
Physical removal of microbes (including prions) but not necessarily killing them
Define disinfection
- Reduction of the number of viable microorganisms but may not inactivate some microbial agents, such as certain viruses and bacterial spores
- It should make the disinfected object safe to handle
Define sterilisation
Killing and removal of all microorganisms including bacterial spores
How should we decontaminate high risk equipment?
Sterilisation or single use item
How should we decontaminate medium risk equipment?
- Preferably sterilisation
OR - High level disinfection
How should we decontaminate low risk equipment?
Disinfection
What does HTM01-05 state about single use instruments?
Single use items should never be reused
What does HTM01-05 state about the number of hand washing and decontamination sinks in decontamination units?
- 1 Hand washing sink
- 2 Instrument decontamination sinks
What does HTM01-05 state about wrapped instrument storage?
Wrapped instruments may be stored up to 1 year
List some modes of transmission for microbes (5)
- Direct contact
- Indirect contact
- Inhalation
- Ingestion
- Inoculation
What does HTM01-05 state about storage of unwrapped instruments? (2)
Compare storage in clinical vs non clinical areas
- Maximum storage in clinical area is 1 day
- Maximum storage in non-clinical area is 1 week
What does HTM01-05 require immunisation from?
- HBV
- Tetanus
Describe a single decontamination room (5)
- Dirty zone
- Clean zone
- Separate wash hand basin and storage for PPE in both zones
- Air flow from clean to dirty
- Instruments flow from dirty to clean
What would you find in a dirty zone of a single decontamination room? (5)
- Washing sink
- Rinsing sink
- Ultrasonic bath
- Preliminary inspection area
- Thermal washer disinfection
What would you find in a clean zone of a single decontamination room? (4)
- Inspection area
- Steriliser
- Package area
- Storage area
What are the applications of high risk contamination instruments? (4)
- Penetrate soft tissue
- Contact bone
- Enter normally sterile tissues or blood stream
- Close contact with break in skin or mucous membrane
What are the applications of medium risk contamination instruments? (3)
- Contact non-intact skin
- Mucous membrane
- Body fluid
What are the applications of low risk contamination instruments? (2)
- In contact with intact skin
- Does not come in contact with patient
Describe a double decontamination room (5)
- Dirty room
- Clean room
- Separate wash hand basin and storage for PPE in both zones
- Air flow from clean to dirty
- Instruments flow from dirty to clean
What is the aim of cleaning?
What cannot be carried out effectively if instruments are not clean?
- Decrease the bacterial load by thousand fold
- If the instruments are not clean, they cannot be sterilised effectively
Name 2 types of automated cleaning?
- Ultrasonic bath
- Thermal washer disinfector
Why is it important to avoid letting instruments dry out?
Blood is corrosive to stainless steel therefore, do not let instrument dry out
What type of detergents are recommended in manual cleaning?
Non-foaming detergent
What type of brushes are recommended in manual cleaning?
Use long handle soft nylon brushes
What temperature is recommended in manual cleaning?
Water temperature should not be more than 45°C to avoid protein coagulation
What type of drying instrument is recommended in manual cleaning?
Use disposable lint free cloth (paper towel) to dry instrument
What type of instruments can be put in an ultrasonic bath?
For metal instrument not plastic (absorb ultrasonic energy)
Does an ultrasonic bath disinfect instruments?
Only clean but does not disinfect instruments
Why is the thermal washer disinfector the preferred cleaning method? (2)
- More efficient in reducing bacterial load during pre- sterilisation cleaning
- Enhanced staff safety as handling sharp contaminated instruments is significantly reduced
Why should Gluteraldehide not be used as a chemical disinfectant?
Irritant and sensitise the skin, eyes and respiratory tract
Why should Chlorhexidine not be used as a chemical disinfectant?
Chlorhexidine binds to protein and makes them more adherent to the instrument
What are the recommended chemical disinfectant agents? (2)
- Peracetic acid
- Chlorine releasing agents
Sterilisers N cycle;
Air removal?
Suitable for sterilising?
Not suitable for sterilising? (5)
- Non-vacuum
- Solid
- Wrapped devices
- Hollow devices
- Devices with lumen
- Heat labile
- Single use item
Sterilisers B cycle;
Air removal?
Suitable for sterilising?
Not suitable for sterilising? (2)
- Vacuum steriliser
- Most instruments
- Heat labile
- Single use item
Sterilisers S cycle;
Air removal?
Suitable for sterilising?
Not suitable for sterilising? (2)
- Vacuum steriliser
- Load specified by manufacturers
- Heat labile
- Single use item
