Patient Safety Flashcards
patient safety
- critical device
- semi-critical device
- non-critical device
splauding classification
critical device definition/level of reprocessing/examples
- device that penetrates soft tissues, makes contact with bone and enters or contacts the bloodstream or normally sterile tissue
- device must be cleaned and then sterilised
- examples ; surgical biopsy instruments, forceps
splauding classification
semi-critical device definition/level of reprocessing/examples
- device that comes into contact with non-intact skin or mucous membrane but does not penetrate soft tissue or make contact with bloodstream, bone or normally sterile tissue
- must be cleaned and subject to high level disinfection - steam sterilisation preferred
- examples : dental mirrors, anaesthetic syringes
splauding classification
non-critical device definition/level of reprocessing/examples
- a device that only comes into contact with the skin and intact mucous membrane
- cleaning followed by low-level disinfection
- example : chair light handle
life cycle diagram for processing instruments
- use
- transport
- cleaning
- disinfection
- inspection
- packaging
- sterilisation
- transport
- storage
- use and so on
cleaning instruments summary
- first step of process
- removes all biological matter from surface of instruments
- recommended method is in a washer-disinfector
- backup method ultrasonic bath
- manual cleaning only carried out if it is the only option
reasons instruments must be cleaned as the first stage
- functionality of instrumentation
- to minimise spread of contamination
- to prevent failed procedures (biopsy etc)
- to achieve steam contact
- it is a legal requirement
instrument sterilisation summary
- after all visible contamination has been removed
- then processed through a steam steriliser
- use vacuum and non vacuum machines
- vacuum is best process (type B)
- non vacuum (type N
cleaning and sterilisation
define operator
- person designated by management with authority to operate a washer-disinfector
- duties may include noting of WD instrument readings, replenishment of consumable items (detergent etc) and simple housekeeping duties
manual cleaning
set points that must be achieved - sink
- must be a dedicated sink for the purpose of manually washing
- sink cannot be used for handwashing etc
- another separate sink is required for rinsing instruments following cleaning
manual cleaning
set points that must be achieved - water
- standard potable water or tap water can be used for manually cleaning
- water must be between 30-35degrees celcius
- temperatures >35 can cause proteins to coagulate making them more difficult to remove
manual cleaning
set points that must be achieved - chemicals
- chemical detergents used
- detergents should be formulated specifically for manual cleaning
- generally an enzymatic or pH neutral detergent
- manufacturers instructions should always be followed for dosing levels
manual cleaning
correct PPE
- an apron must be worn
- facie shield to protect from splashing the face and eyes
- rubber gloves and heavy duty gloves on our hands
manual cleaning
methods and instruments
- immersion or non-immersion
- instruments are scrubbed below the surface of the water with a long handled, soft bristled brush
- metallic brush should never be used as this could damage the instruments
manual cleaning recommendations
- chemicals must be dosed based on manufacturers instructions - generally in ml/L
- essential temperature no greater than 35 degrees as may damage efficacy of chemical/coagulate proteins making them harder to remove
manual cleaning
reasons to scrub below water surface
- intruments must be in contact with water and detergent solution
- minimise splashing as this will contaminate the surroundings
- scrubbing above the surface has the potential to produce aerosols
manual cleaning only carried out when
- it is specifically recommended by the manufacturers instructions for processing
- if there is no other alternative ie all automated equiptment is out of service
- if ultrasonic or WD has failed to remove contamination
ultrasonic bath summary
- considered to be secondary or back up method for cleaning after washer-disinfector
- uses soundwaves at high frequencies to produce bubbles that have a scouring effect on instrument surface
- has potential to damage instrumentation so always verify MI
ultrasonic cleaning how it works
- as soundwaves pass through the water they cause microbubbles to form
- the fluctuation in pressure caused by the soundwaves causes the bubbles to rapidly expand and then collapse
- the process is referred to as cavitation
ultrasonic cleaning
set points/requirements
- operating temperature is set between 20-30 degrees celcius
- machine can be filled with tap water to required volume marked on chamber
- chemical added to water based upon MI
- cycle must be ran for a specific period of time which is established at validation
ultrasonic cleaning
degas cycle
- before production cycle chamber must be filled with water and detergent for degas cycle
- standard production cycle ran with the chamber empty appart from load carrier
- any bubbles created will collapse into the air bubbles
- this will effect efficacy of the equiptment and prevent proper cleaning of instrumentation
following manual cleaning/ultrasonic cleaning
- instruments must be rinsed in separate sink
- then processed through WD - must be thermally disinfected again
- FIRST STAGE is use of washer-disinfector
use of ultrasonic bath is secondary method
- if WD is out of service and you require instrumentation for a procedure
- if the WD process could not remove certain spots of biological matter
manual washing/ultrasonic cleaning
reasons for
- manually scrubbing with a brush exherts a greater force than WD
- some equiptment must be manually washed in line with manufacturers recommendations
- ultrasonic baths have a feracious process that is very good at removing contamination
manual washing/ultrasonic cleaning
reasons against
- member of staff required to be present for entire process
- risk of aerosol production
- risk of contaminating surrounding environment
- potential for inconsistency in process due to human error
- high risk of sharps injuries for staff carrying out
- ultrasonics have ferocious process which can damage some equiptment
- no automatic water changes in ultrasonic bath
ultrasonic vs WD
- ultrasonic has a powerful process and can remove hard-to-reach contamination
- ultrasonic also automated but does not disinfect or dry
- ultrasonic contamination remains present in the chamber
- ultrasonic has potential to damage certain instruments and still requires manual stages such as rinsing
washer disinfector type of process
- automated process
- after operator has pressed the start button the machine will automatically cycle through stages
- produces instruments free from contamination, thermally disinfected and dry
washer disinfector stages
- flush/prewash - saturates contamination and removes gross contamination
- main wash - detergent used for more effective decontamination
- rinse - removes residue (biological or chemical) before disinfection
- thermal disinfection - actively kills microorganisms with heated water
- drying - hot air to remove any moisture from surface of instruments
washer disinfector at each stage
- fresh water used for each individual stage
- fills the sump and is then circulated throughout the chamber
washer disinfector temp/timings of each stage
- flush/prewash - less than 35degrees
- main wash - temp dependant on chemical used
- rinse - less than 65 degrees
- thermal disinfection - 90-95 degrees for a MIN of 1minute
- drying - generally 100 degrees
- proteins or prions must be removed during the wash stages - they cannot be deactivqated through disinfection or sterilisation
why washer-disinfector is first step
- no point manual cleaning if WD can remove all contamination automatically
- fresh water used at each stage so removes contamination from instruments and the machine entirely
- thermal disinfection makes instruments safe for staff to handle so thorough inspection can take place before steam sterilisation
- machine is consistent - process is virtually same every time
- traceability - automated process produce a printable record of each cycle
daily checks for washer disinfector
- check spray arms spin freely without obstruction
- check spray jets are not blocked
- make sure no debris on strainer/filter and no other potential blockages
- check condition of door seal and wipe and clean if necessary
- verify suitable amount of chemical in reservoir
- record disinfection tempertature of the first cycle every day (ACT)
washer disinfector
load requirements
- load carrier/basket must be used
- clip trays must be used and positioned correctly
- no overlapping or shadowing of equiptment
- hinged instruments must be opened at hinge
- all essemblies should be disassembled beforehand
after washer disinfector inspection/further processing
- use an illuminated magnifier
- inspect for damage or if contamination still present
- if instruments still contaminated can be processed through ultrasonic bath or manually cleaned
- following ultrasonic process of manual cleaning it must be processed through WD again
why steam for sterilisation
- steam carries massive amount of energy
- it is a non-toxic component
- it can be recondensed and used again
- main ingredient is water which is readily available
- no waste product except water
what is used for production of steam
- purified water - has had organics, minerals and micro-organisms removed
- or filtered from it beforehand
- RO
- de-ionised
- distilled
- sterile
volume of steam vs water and use in sterilisation
- volume of steam thousand times greater than water used to generate it
- creates a huge amount of pressure within small confined spaces
- can flood sterilisation chamber with steam from small amount of water
- high pressure also helps with permeability of steam
types of steriliser available
- type N - autoclave, most basic steriliser
- type B - vacuum capable
- type S - specialised equiptment for specific purpose
type N steriliser summary
- machine heats water in chamber and as it turns to steam passively forces air from the chamber out
- isnt fully efficient so can leave pockets of air in chamber
- cannot process wrapped instruments or channelled/lumened instruments
- recommended to only process rigid stell/solid instruments with no pocket channels or lumens
type N steriliser temp/pressure/time
- must achieve a temp between 134-137 degrees celcius
- pressure for temo of 2.05-2.35 bar gauge
- maintain this for a minimum stage hold time of 3 minutes
*
type N steriliser
instruments after sterilisation
- after process instruments have only been sterilised - they are not sterile at the point of use
- instruments should be wrapped immediately after being removed from chamber
- danger of re-contamination because of this
type N steriliser - air
- pockets of air can be left within the chamber
- cannot be heated or maintain temp the same way steam can
- it is always a lower temp than the steam surrounding it
- this means that anything in contact with air might not achieve its sterilisation temp for the minimum required time
type B steriliser summary
- first step is to remove all air from the chamber - vacuum created and negative pressure
- after that it fills the chamber with steam
- vacuum allows steam to rush into chamber meaning it can effectively contact all surfaces
- has capability to penetrate wrappings and sterilise instruments inside
- CAN process wrapped, channelled and lumened instruments and also porous items such as cotton wool swabs
type B steriliser temp/pressure/time
- must achieve temp 134-137 degrees celcius
- pressure 2.05-2.35 bar gauge
- hold for a minimum time of 3 minutes
- then has drying stage at end to remove any remaining moisture
type B instruments after sterilisation
- providing wrappings stay intact the instruments will be sterile at the point of use
- wrapped instruments can be stored for long periods of time in a suitable environment
- storage areas must be clean and free from aerosol contamination, dry, temp controlled, away from direct sunlight
- best practice system should be in place to manage stock (FIFO)
type S steriliser summary
- can wash and lubricate handpieces as well as sterilising them
- has a vacuum cycle but does not process wrapped instruments
- still achieves same temp and pressure and has same stage hold time of 3 mins
- can only be used for equiptment its designed to process - follow manufacturers reccomendations
sterilisers common daily tests
- check door seals intact and free from debris
- verify chamber is free from damage, debris, contamination or instruments from prev cycles
- verify condition of the load carrier
- fill and drain the feedwater reservoir each day
- drain the used water reservoir each day
type B steriliser tets
- daily basis - steam penetration test carries out using bowie dick test or a helix
- weekly basis - air leakage test, air detector fan test
- both these tests are machine cyles
decontamination equiptment
- transport container
- washer-disinfector
- lit magnifier
- ultrasonic
- steam steriliser
instrument transport container must be
- rigid sided
- with a tight fitting lid
- leak proof
- colour coded or clearly marked
time between use to transport
- best course of action is having ther shortest time between use and processing
- blood or biological matter can start to dry and stubbornly adhere to surface of instrument
sinner circle
- shows 4 key elements that are required for a successful cleaning process
- energy
- chemicals
- time
- temperature
water conductivity
- measures things water picks up along the route of travel such as minerals, silicates, metals, organics
- unit of measurement in micro-siemens (us)
- for disinfection stage water <30us is recommended
- purified water for sterilisation around 4.4us
pure water must be
- distilled - boiling and recondensing standard tap water
- de-ionised - passing water through ion exchange
- reverse osmosis - semi permeable membrane filter used
- sterile - already filtered and then sterilised
range of detergents used to different purposes
- high and low alkaline detergent - for enclosed processes (not designed to be in contact with skin)
- enzymatic detergents break down proteins into smaller particles - used in ultrasonic and manual washing
- pH neutral detergent less harmful to operators skin - used for manual washing and can be used in WD
detergent chemistry
- have hydrophilic and hydrophobic ends - one end repels water and the other is attracted to it
- contamination drawn to hydrophobic end and flushed away
sinner circle
energy
- energy or force that is used for cleaning and contact
- when manually cleaning we use a scrubbing brush
- ultrasonic bath force comes from high frequency sound waves causing cavitation
- WD uses high pressure water jet or spray
- energy is largest part of sinner circle
cleaning and sterilisation
guidance/legislation/standards
- guidance - documents called SHTM provide info on testing requirements for decontam equiptment and other useful info about roles and designations
- legislation - outlined in government publications - legal obligation to follow official guidance and also governs production and manufacture of equiptment
- standards - documents that govern the way equiptment should be operated
cleaning and sterilisation
guidance
- SDCEP has several publications
- “cleaning of dental instruments”
- info on daily/weekly tests for WD
- quarterly tests for WD
- steriliser testing
cleaning and sterilisation
weekly tests for WD
- weekly safety checks
- carry out daily tests
- water hardness (all process stages)
- water conductivity (final rinse stage)
- cleaning efficacy test by residual soil detection
cleaning and sterilisation
quarterly tests for WD
- verification of calibration
- thermometric tests for disinfection
- cleaning efficacy test using test soil
- chemical dosage check
cleaning and sterilisation
SHTM guidance
- scottish health technical memorandum
- role designations and descriptions of each role
- process definitions and descriptions
- it links to other standards and guidance
cleaning and sterilisation
legislation
- health and safety at work act 1974 - outlines duties of employers to their employees
- medical device regulation (MDR 2017)
medical emergency
steps
- assessment
- diagnosis
- treatment
- disposal
medical emergency assessment
- airway
- breathing
- circulation
- disability
- exposure
medical emergency principles
- start at A and work through E
- treat as you meet
- continually reassess
emergency conditions
- anaphylaxis
- angina/MI
- asthma
- cardiac arrest
- choking
- hypoglycaemia
- seizure/fits
- syncope
medical emergency
oxygen
- 15 litres via non rebreathing mask
- GDC advice: give to anyone who is sick
anaphylaxis ABCDE
- A: swelling, stridor
- B: increased rate, wheeze
- C: increased rate, hypotension
- D: LOC
- E: rash, swelling
anaphylaxis tx
- call for help
- lie pt flat - with or without legs elevated
- give IM adrenaline 1:1000, 0.5mg at anterolateral middle third of thigh
- establish airway, give high flow O2
- if no response repeat IM adrenaline after 5mins
angina ABCDE
- A: talking
- B: increased
- C: increased
- D: alert
- E: plae, clammy, central chest pain
angina/MI tx
- GTN spray 400 micrograms per dose sublingual
- given sublingually - only symptomatic relief (vasodilation) doesnt decrease blockage of artery
- aspiring 300mg crushed or chewed if MI - dont give drink of water as doesnt absorb as quickly
asthma ABCDE
- A: difficult to complete sentences
- B: increased rate which wheeze
- C: increased rate
- D: alert
- E: tripods position
- when life threatening breathing rate drops to 8bpm, HR 50bpm, pt unresponsive and goes blue
asthma tx
- salbutamol 100micrograms per actuation
- 2 puffs
- use as required until ambulance arrives
- spacer device when appropriate
hypoglycaemia ABCDE
- A: initially taling
- B: initially increased rate
- C: initially increased rate
- D: initially alert - can become unconscious
- E: irritable, confused, pale
hypoglycaemia tx
- glucose: sugar of any description
- glucagon 1 milligram IM injection if unconscious - side effects nausea and headache
seizures/fits ABCDE
- A: compromised
- B and C depending on cause
- D: unresponsive
- E: seizure activity, incontinence
seizures/fits tx
- ensure safe environment
- if repeated or prolongued (longer than 5 mins) consider midazolam 10milligrams via buccal mucosa
- allows muscle relaxation, slows down nerve signals to brain
- SE: hypotension, respiratory depression, disinhibition
syncope ABCDE
- A: compromised
- B: reduced rate
- C: reduced rate and pressure
- D: unresponsive
- E: pale, clammy
syncope tx
- elevate legs
- recover quite quickly - if not different cause not a faint