Perform appropriate hand hygiene. Disinfect all work surfaces. Disinfect all critical sites with sterile 70% isopropyl alcohol before penetrating the container. Whenever possible, properly garb before using a sterile needle and syringe to administer or prepare a fluid or medication.
The preferred method for sterilization of critical items is autoclaving. Low temperature gas/plasma/vapor sterilization is the next preferred option, if available.
Scrape and remove food bits from the equipment surface • Wash the equipment surfaces • Rinse the equipment surface with clean water • Sanitize the equipment surfaces. Make sure sanitizer comes into contact with each surface. Allow all surfaces to air dry before putting the unit back together.
However, evidence that sterilization of these items improves patient care by reducing the infection risk is lacking. Many newer models of these instruments can withstand steam sterilization, which for critical items is the preferred method.
Critical items.
The items in this category should be purchased as sterile or should be sterilized by steam sterilization, if possible. If the item is heat sensitive, it may be treated with ethylene oxide (ETO) or hydrogen peroxide gas plasma or with liquid chemical sterilants if other methods are unsuitable.
Medical devices that have contact with sterile body tissues or fluids are considered critical items. These items should be sterile when used because any microbial contamination could result in disease transmission. Such items include surgical instruments, biopsy forceps, and implanted medical devices.
Cleaning with sterilization is advised, with high level disinfection if sterilization is not feasible.
Chlorination is a cheaper source than UV or ozone disinfection methods used to treat water. It is very effective against a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms.
The most significant precaution that is effective in preventing infection transmission is hand hygiene. This is achieved by washing hands with soap and warm water and/or by hand rubbing with alcohol or nonalcohol based hand sanitizer.
Control and prevention measures are of the utmost importance in every ICU. These methods include isolating patients, washing hands, using protective clothing, cleaning and disinfecting equipment, cleaning the environment, and providing education and training.
There are three methods of using heat to sanitize surfaces – steam, hot water, and hot air. Hot water is the most common method used in restaurants.
Final answer: The steps of proper cleaning and sanitizing in the correct order are: scrape, wash, rinse, sanitize, air-dry.
Non-food contact surfaces like walls, ceilings, floors, and doorknobs exteriors still need regular cleaning. However, these surfaces do not need sanitizing–but you should consider creating a regular disinfecting schedule for non-food contact surfaces.
Hydrogen Peroxide & Peracetic Acid
Several combination hydrogen peroxide/peracetic acid products are cleared by the FDA as disinfectants in health care settings. Combining peracetic acid with hydrogen peroxide increases its effectiveness, especially against glutaraldehyde-resistant mycobacteria.
Of all the methods available for sterilization, moist heat in the form of saturated steam under pressure is the most widely used and the most dependable. Steam sterilization is nontoxic, inexpensive 826, rapidly microbicidal, sporicidal, and rapidly heats and penetrates fabrics (Table 6) 827.
To disinfect, use an EPA-registered disinfecting product or a stronger bleach solution. Clean the surface with soap and water first. Always read the label of disinfecting products to make sure the products can be used on the type of surface you are disinfecting (such as a hard or soft surface).
Hand Hygiene. Hand hygiene has been cited frequently as the single most important practice to reduce the transmission of infectious agents in healthcare settings 559, 712, 713 and is an essential element of Standard Precautions.
Handwashing is the act of cleaning your hands with soap and running water and drying them afterward. It's important to wash your hands many times throughout the day, especially before preparing food and after using the bathroom.
Airborne Precautions (con't.)
➢ Restrict susceptible employees from entering the room. ➢ Use PPE including gloves, gowns & eye protection and practice hand hygiene. ➢ Face mask – Wear a fit-tested N95 or higher respirator mask.
Bleach is a strong and effective disinfectant – its active ingredient sodium hypochlorite is effective in killing bacteria, fungi and viruses, including influenza virus – but it is easily inactivated by organic material. Diluted household bleach disinfects within 10–60 minutes contact time (see Table G.
Autoclaving is the most popular method of lab sterilization. This process uses pressurized steam to heat the item that requires sterilization. Autoclaving is an incredibly effective procedure. It will effectively kill all microbes, spores and viruses.
Sanitizing kills bacteria on surfaces using chemicals. It is not intended to kill viruses. Yes, EPA registers products that sanitize. Disinfecting kills viruses and bacteria on surfaces using chemicals.
Use weaker bleach solutions or sanitizing sprays. Objects or surfaces should be cleaned frst before sanitizing. Sanitize objects and surfaces that come in contact with mouths (such as, toys, infant feeding supplies, countertops, and other surfaces that touch food). Disinfecting kills remaining germs on surfaces.
Medical devices are sterilized in a variety of ways including using moist heat (steam), dry heat, radiation, ethylene oxide (EtO) gas, vaporized hydrogen peroxide, and other sterilization methods (for example, chlorine dioxide gas, vaporized peracetic acid, and nitrogen dioxide).
In the hospital investigated, after the high incidence of MRSA contamination of blood pressure cuffs was clarified, it was decided that they should be wiped with alcohol once daily (cuffs are wiped with alcohol each time after use by patients with MRSA colonization/infection) and washed at 7-day to 1-month intervals.