HSPA Sterile Processing (CRCST)

A surgical case has just ended and the scrub person is preparing instruments for transport to the decontamination area. What is the correct point-of-use treatment?

1. APerform a full manual wash at the sterile field before transport
2. BAllow the instruments to air dry so blood flakes off during transport
3. CSpray the instruments with saline and wrap them in a dry towel
4. DRemove gross soil and keep the instruments moist until they reach decontaminationCorrecta

Por qué: Point-of-use treatment means wiping away gross soil and applying a moisture-retention product or damp towel so bioburden does not dry onto surfaces. Dried blood and protein are far harder to remove and can block sterilant contact. Saline is corrosive to instrument alloys, and full cleaning is never performed in the operating room because it creates contaminated aerosols in a sterile environment.AAMI ST79

A tray wrapped in a cellulose-based (paper) wrapper is about to be loaded into a hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilizer. What is the problem?

1. ACellulose reacts with hydrogen peroxide to form a toxic residue on instruments
2. BCellulose absorbs hydrogen peroxide and will cause the cycle to abort or fail, so only nonwoven polypropylene wrap and compatible trays may be usedCorrecta
3. CCellulose wrap is acceptable if a second wrapper is applied over it
4. DCellulose wrap melts at the operating temperature of the sterilizer

Por qué: Hydrogen peroxide is readily absorbed by cellulose materials such as paper, linen, and cotton, which strips sterilant from the chamber and causes cycle cancellation, so only polypropylene wrap, compatible pouches, and approved containers are used. The issue is absorption, not toxic residue formation or melting, since the process runs at low temperature. Adding a second cellulose layer makes the absorption problem worse.AAMI ST79