SterilizationQuestion 32 of 100
A technician opens the department at the start of the day shift and must schedule the Bowie-Dick test for a dynamic-air-removal sterilizer. How often is the test required?
a.Once per week, on the same day each week
b.In every load that contains an implant
c.Only after a repair to the vacuum pump
d.Each day the sterilizer is used, in the first cycle of the day after the warm-up cycle
Explanation
The Bowie-Dick test verifies air removal and steam penetration and is run daily in an otherwise empty chamber before the first processed load, typically after a warm-up cycle. It is an air-removal test, not a lethality test, so it does not belong in implant loads and does not replace biological monitoring. It is also repeated after repairs, but that is in addition to, not instead of, the daily requirement.
Law Reference: AAMI ST79Practice all 100 questions free — no signup required.
Related questions on this topic
- What is the fundamental difference between a gravity displacement cycle and a dynamic-air-removal (prevacuum) cycle?
- A wrapped instrument set is being sterilized in a dynamic-air-removal steam sterilizer at 270 degrees F (132 degrees C). What is the typical minimum exposure time?
- What is a standard gravity displacement steam cycle for a wrapped instrument set at 250 degrees F (121 degrees C)?
- A Bowie-Dick test sheet comes out of the sterilizer with a pale, uneven center and darker edges. What does this indicate and what should be done?
- After a tray fails its internal chemical indicator, the supervisor reviews the fundamentals with the team. Which four parameters must all be satisfied for steam sterilization to be effective?
- Why is saturated steam, rather than superheated or wet steam, required for steam sterilization?
Last reviewed: · editorial process
PrepPass Editorial Team · Verified against HSPA Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) Exam · How we review