Infection control/safety Flashcards
What is patient safety defined as?
the avoidance of unintended or unexpected harm to people during the provision of health care
Ideally, what two rooms are required for an LDU?
- washroom
- sterilisation room
For manual cleaning of instruments, what temperature should the water be?
ideally 30-35 degrees, should not exceed 45 degrees as proteins can coagulate and fix to instrument surfaces
Why must you use a specific enzymatic detergent for manual cleaning of instruments?
any other type of detergent cab allow prion proteins to stick to instruments
What type of brush is used to wash and rinse instruments during manual cleaning?
long-handled soft bristle brush
How should instruments be dried when manually cleaning?
- use disposable, lint free towels
- must not be allowed to air dry as inadequate moisture can allow moisture to be trapped
Once dried, what is the next step for instruments being manually cleaned?
packaged prior to sterilisation
What must be used to inspect instruments during cleaning?
illuminated magnifier
What should you do with an ultrasonic cleaner before placing instruments in for cleaning?
run first cycle empty to de-gas the solution
How long does an ultrasonic cleaning cycle generally last?
7-10mins
How often should the solution in an ultrasonic cleaner be changed?
if visibly contaminated or every 4 hours
What is the preferred method for the cleaning of dental instruments?
washer-disinfector
What kind of process is a washer-disinfector?
automated process that can be validated
What stage does the use of a washer-disinfector incorporate?
disinfection stage (renders instruments safe for handling and inspection)
either thermal (preferred) or chemical
What are the 5 stages of the washer-disinfector?
1) pre wash
2) wash
3) rinse
4) thermal disinfection
5) drying
What temperature does the thermal disinfection occur at in a washer-disinfector cycle?
80 degrees for 10 mins or 90 degrees for 1 min
What does packaging instruments prior to sterilisation do?
maintains their sterility
Packaging material for pre-sterilisation should be what?
- allow steam penetration
- allow steam to penetrate around instruments
- withstand sterilisation process
What on the instrument packaging indicates when sterilisation parameters are met?
yellow arrow on packaging turns brown
To kill microorganisms in sterilisation, what cycle is required?
134-137 degrees for a minimum of 3 minutes at a 2.1-2.25 bar gauge pressure
What are the three types of sterilisation cycle?
B, N and S
What is the preferred sterilisation cycle and what does it involve?
Type B, (vacuumed)
- active air removal using air pump
- post sterilisation drying cycle
- can sterilise wrapped, unwrapped, solid , hollow bore and lumened instruments
What is type N sterilisation?
non-vacuum
- designed for unwrapped solid instruments, cannot assure sterilisation of handpieces or instruments with lumens
- produces sterilised rather than sterile instruments
What kind of water is required for sterilisation?
- low mineral, pathogen and endotoxin free
- distilled water
What is the definition of an aerosol?
suspension of a solid or a liquid within a gas
What is an AGP?
any medical, dental or patient care procedure that results in the production of airborne particles <5microm in size (aerosols), which can remain suspended in the air, travel over a distance and may cause infection if they are inhaled
A red ring handpiece has a speed increasing ratio of what?
1:5
What speed of handpiece is shown to produce minimal aerosol?
<60,000rpm
