judgement day - machines Flashcards
AWDs
Automatic Washer-Disinfectors have been in use for decades
legal requirement for us to operate a WD and process our contaminated instruments through one
pros and cons of manual washing
There is the potential for human error
There can be a variance of efficacy depending on the operator
They do have a significantly larger mechanical force, but…
That means you need to have an Operator manually cleaning
automated washer disinfectors operator role
press button then
machine will automatically cycle through stages, each serving a specific purpose
To produce clean instrumentation free from contamination, thermally disinfected and dry.
stages in AWDs (5)
flush/prewash
main wash
rinse
thermal disinfection
drying
flush/prewash
this stage saturates the contaminated instrumentation
main wash
this stage is supplemented by detergent to more effectively remove contamination
rinse
this stage removes any remaining residue, biological or chemical before disinfection
thermal disinfection
this stage is actively killing microorganisms with the use of heated water
drying
this stage removes any remaining moisture from the instruments before sterilisation
what is used in each individual stage in AWD
fresh water used for each individual stage that fills the sump and is then circulated throughout the chamber
what do the stages in AWD do
More contamination is removed from the surface of the instruments
And removed from the machine with the water changes
This is our only opportunity to remove proteins or prion (vCJD)
- They must be removed during the wash stages
- They cannot be deactivated through disinfection or sterilization
High temperature can make them adhere to the surface of instruments
They can survive higher temperatures for longer periods of time
Than temperatures and times of standard sterilization processes
WD stages - times and temperatures needed
Each stage of the process must be carried out at a certain temperature and for a certain amount of time, to maximize the efficacy of the cycle
Flush/Prewash – less than <35 degrees
Main wash – temperature dependent on chemical used for process
Rinse – less than <65 degrees
Thermal disinfection – must be between 90 – 95 degrees for minimum of 1 minute
Drying – has no specified temperature but generally 90 – 110 degrees
Stage times, chemical volume and wash temperature are established during the validation of the equipment by a competent person
first stage in decon porcess
washer-disinfector
why bother manually cleaning
If your washer can remove all the contamination with an automated process, why monopolize a member of staff to do so.
importance of fresh water for each new stage in washer-disinfector
not only removes contamination from the surface of the instruments, but removes it from the machine entirely
