Learn How to Sterilize Medical Equipment

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The Importance of Sterilizing Medical Equipment

It has long been known that bacteria and germs can spread causing terrible health conditions, which can sometimes be a cause for death especially in those with a compromise immune system. We have heard the horror stories about medical implements or dirty dressings left behind inside a patient’s body during surgery causing dangerous infections such as gangrene, sepsis or worse. Keeping families safe and clean is of the utmost importance. When you go to the doctor or a hospital, you expect the environment to be sterile; for the facility to protect your health and treat you with sterile tools and supplies.

Transferring Microbes

Since there are many tools, materials and equipment that comes into contact with our bodies, their levels of sterilization has to be in compliance with the FDA and safety regulations. Any microbial contamination could transmit disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are certain cleaning procedures that are acceptable and suitable for different items and this affects sterilizing medical equipment. These instructions and standards must be followed, to save lives, prevent lawsuits, and minimize risk of complications.

Critical Items

Critical items such as surgical instruments, cardiac and urinary catheters, implants and most probes should not only be purchased as sterile, but can also be sterilized with steam, if possible. Heat sensitive objects can be treated with EtO, hydrogen peroxide gas plasma, if other methods are unsuitable, by liquid chemical sterilants. Proper guidelines must be followed regarding concentration, contact time and pH.

Semi-Critical Items

Semi critical items are considered items that come in contact with mucous membranes or non-intact skin. These items include respiratory therapy and anesthesia equipment, some endoscopes, laryngoscope blades, esophageal manometry probes, cystoscopes, anorectal devices and diaphragm fittings. Chemical disinfectants such as glutaraldehyde or hydrogen peroxide are cleared by the FDA and are considered dependable.

Non-Critical Items

Non-critical items are items that come in contact with the skin, which has no cuts or abrasions and no contact with mucous membranes. These items would include blood pressure cuffs, crutches, patient furniture and so on. These types of items are cleaned with chemical disinfectants. Changes have been made to current guidelines on de-sterilization, such as longer contact time and treatments to inactivate emerging pathogens, bioterrorist agents and blood-born pathogens.

Sterilizing Medical Equipment Standards

The CDC and FDA have been closely monitoring toxicology and environmental concerns related to disinfectants and sterilization processes. It is vitally important that our safety is protected, but we don’t want to poison ourselves along with the environment in doing so. Keeping procedures closely monitored for these concerns and making sure that the doctors and hospitals followed all guidelines might not eradicate infectious diseases being spread, but dramatically cuts down on the overall risks.

It is important for you to learn proper health and medical procedures; in this profession, it’s all about the little details and not only about life or death diagnosis. Careful attention must be given to accurate treatment and analysis; not to mention, ensuring the environment is safe.