Mod 6 Flashcards by Cecilia Nguyen

What are the four principle methods for inhibiting growth and destroying microbes?

Sterilization
Disinfection
Sanitation
Cleaning

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What is sterilization?

It destroys all forms of microbial life

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Something can be “sort of” sterile. (T/F)

False! It’s either sterile or not! Absolute terms

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What does disinfection mean?

When referring to the elimination of all pathogens but not all microbial forms on INANIMATE objects

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What does terminal disinfection mean?

It describes a procedure that is carried out after the patient has left the procedure area

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What does antisepsis mean?

Disinfection of tissue (usually skin or mucous membrane)

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What does sanitation mean?

Removal of pathogenic microorganisms from inanimate objects by mechanical or chemical means

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What’s a main object that the term sanitation is describing?

Process eating utensils and dishes

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What’s the difference between sanitation and disinfection?

Disinfection = usually chemical 
Sanitation = mechanical OR chemical

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What are the three methods of sterilization?

incineration
autoclave
ethylene oxide

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What are some examples of used materials that require sterilization before disposal?

wound dressings and discarded lab cultures

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What do dry heat (hot air ovens) do?

It penetrates substances slowly compared to moist heat

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What are hot air ovens used to sterilize?

metal objects, glassware, and sterilizing oils and powders

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How long do you keep the items in a hot air oven if the temperature is 171c?

1 hour

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How long do you keep the items in a hot air oven if the temperature is 160c?

2 hours

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How long do you keep the items in a hot air oven if the temperature is 121c?

16 hours or longer depending on the volume

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What does incineration mean?

To burn or reduce to ashes

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What are some examples of material that is suitable for incineration?

used needles and syringes
IV sets
used gloves
discarded bandages
discarded lab cultures
blood samples

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what is an autoclave?

a well-controlled pressure cooker that uses steam under pressure to kill microorganisms

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In an autoclave, the pure steam yields what temperature?

121c

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Since autoclaves use moist heat, how long will it take to kill microbes?

15 minutes

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What is the purpose of a safety valve on an autoclave?

to allow steam to escape if the pressure exceeds safety limits

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What are the three strips on a spore control?

1) positive growth control (not autoclaved)

2/3) into the autoclave, then incubated in a broth medium to see if the autoclave actually works

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What does a fluoresce reading indicate?

autoclave isn’t working properly

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what does no fluoresce indicate?

autoclave is working properly

How long does a sterilization cycle with the use of ETO sterilizers?

up to 8 hours followed by a minimum of 24 hours at room temp

What are some desirable properties of disinfectants?

- broad spectrum - rapid action - resistance to inactivation by other material - non-toxic - odorless - non-destructive - residual action - user friendly - economical

What are the three categories of Spaulding's classification for inanimate materials?

1. critical items 2. Semi-critical items 3. non-critical items

What are critical items?

Items that come into contact with normally sterile human tissue; these are items that need to be sterile

What are semi-critical items?

Items that come into contact with non-sterile mucous membranes/body surfaces; need to be free of pathogens, but don't need to be sterile

What are non-critical items?

Items that come into contact with skin but not mucous membranes; surfaces need to be free of pathogens that can cause infections when inhaled

How are disinfectants usually classed?

In accordance to their level of germicidal action

What are some examples of least resistant microbes?

vegetative bacteria, lipid viruses, fungi, non-lipid viruses and tubercle bacilli

What are the most resistant types of microbes?

bacterial spores

What do low level disinfectants kill?

Vegetative bacteria and lipid viruses | - not expected to kill fungi

What do intermediate level disinfectants kill?

vegetative bacteria, lipid viruses, fungi, and tubercle bacilli - not expected to kill non-lipid viruses or spores

What do high level disinfectants kill?

vegetative bacteria, lipid viruses, fungi, non-lipid viruses, tubercle bacilli and bacterial spores AT AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME

What does pasteurization kill?

vegetatitve bacteria, viruses and fungi

What is the temperature at which pasteurization is done at?

75c-77c

what level of disinfection does pasteurization do?

intermediate level disinfection

What shouldn't women consume while pregnant to prevent possible ingestion of ___?

unpasteurized cheese, Listeria

What are the two main types of filtration?

Membrane and HEPA

What are membrane filters?

very thin filters with small pores that cause microbes to get stuck on the surface of the filter

What are HEPA filters?

they're thick filters that have convoluted passages for air to flow through

Items that are sterilized with liquid chemicals are ____.

Critical items

When residues aren't removed with sterile water, the item will be called _____.

semi-critical

Soaps and detergents act as _____ agents and they ____ surface tension.

Wetting agents and reduce surface tension

What are some examples of low level disinfectants?

soap and detergents, quatenary ammonium

What are some examples of intermediate level disinfectants?

alcohols (~70%), chlorine-containing, iodophores, complex phenolic compounds

What are some examples of high level disinfectants?

glutaraldehyde, peroxygens

What is the wavelength range of UV radiation?

40-390 nm

What is the most effective UV wavelength to kill microorganisms?

200 nm

How does UV radiation kill microorganisms?

It damages their DNA and proteins

What do radiation, microwave radiation and strong visible light do?

They are used to control microbial growth

What does boiling water do?

It destroys vegetative cells of most bacteria, fungi and protozoal parasites

How long does it take for boiling water to kill certain microbes?

10 minutes

Can boiling water kill viruses?

No--it only inactivates it

What does aseptic mean?

without sepsis = without infection

What is another term for aseptic technique?

sterile technique

What's the ranking for places you are likely to find the highest number of bacteria to least?

in or on a person > moist areas, dry areas > air

- Destroys pathogens, but not spores - May be used for some tubing - Used for milk

pasteurization

Used to remove microorganisms from liquids such as pharmaceuticals

membrane filters

used to remove microorganisms from air by trapping them on fibres

HEPA filters

used to remove microorganisms from surfaces by trapping them in fibres

microfibre cloths

- The sun is a natural source - used on surface such as those in operating rooms - does not pass through glass or plastic

UV light

used to destroy pathogens in spices and on food (especially meats)

ionizing radiation

- uses water heated to 100c | - may not kill spores

boiling

- destroys pathogens, but not spores - may be used for some tubing - used for milk

autoclave

items are burned

incineration

good for heat sensitive plastics

ethylene oxide

intermediate - often used in disinfectant soaps - may be used in low concentrations as an oral rinse

phenolics

intermediate - must be diluted fresh daily (1/10) - may corrode metals - good surface disinfectant

chlorine

intermediate | - often used for pre-operative skin disinfection, may be allergenic

iodine

high level - liquid that may be used to sterilize heat-sensitive items - toxic fumes - must be rinsed off

glutaraldehydes

high level - may be used to sterilize complex items such as endospores - active ingredients are hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid

peroxygens

low level | - good wetting agents

soaps/detergents

low level - often used in combo with other products - might allow growth of gram negative organisms

quats

intermediate level | - often used as a 70% concentration for skin antisepsis

alcohols

What does incineration do?

burning the materials at a high temperature

What does an autoclave do?

steam under pressure; moist heat

What is ethlyene oxide?

a gas sterilization method; no heat

What are the cons of ETO?

it's toxic to human tissue | it's also time consuming and expensive