One contaminated surgical instrument can give rise to great suffering from a surgical site infection. One breach in the sterility maintenance protocol can contaminate that surgical instrument. Learn what makes a great sterility maintenance protocol and identify times where a breach in protocol could lead to contaminated instrumentation.

Objectives:

• Describe the process of maintaining sterile package integrity
• Identify contaminating events that compromise sterility maintenance

Disinfection and sterilization are critical steps that make medical devices safe for use. It is not enough to expose medical devices to these processes. Quality control through the use of physical monitors, chemical indicators (CIs), biological indicators (BIs), spore test strips and solution test strips is a necessary part of safe disinfection and sterilization. Uncover the differences in these processes and the quality assurance tests types that go with them.

Course Objectives:

• Describe the difference between disinfection and sterilization.
• Identify different quality control monitors available for high-level disinfection and sterilization.

Extended steam sterilization cycles can create a unique challenge for Sterile Processing Managers. From conflicting instructions for use (IFUs) to proper biological monitoring, discover the unique challenges and possible solutions that come with extended cycles today.

Course Objectives:

• List key challenges created by extended steam sterilization cycles
• Create policies and procedures for extended steam sterilization cycles
• Identify the facts of a rapidly changing landscape for extended steam sterilization cycles

Biological indicators have been used for many years by healthcare facilities. They provide a level of confidence in the sterilization process. However, this is not the only reason biological indicators are used. This 2-part interactive eLearning course will begin with reviewing the basics on BIs including why they are used, and the standards developed to support their use. In the second part of this course we will discuss how BIs actually work..

• List reasons why healthcare facilities use Biological Indicators (BIs)
  
• Identify the nationally recognized organizations that set policies or recommendations on use of BIs within healthcare facilities
• Identify how BIs function
• Explain the design of BIs
• Explain the difference between enzyme detection and spore growth

• Define sterilization
  
• Explain the importance of steam in steam sterilization
• Define Sterility Assurance Level (SAL) and how it relates to log reduction
• Explain the phases of sterilization and interpret a cycle graph
• Identify what occurs to the bacterial spores within a Biological Indicator during the phases of sterilization
• Identify the importance of a Chemical Indicator to ensure sterilization parameters have been met during a cycle