ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
What should the sterilizer access area pressure be? ✔✔ Negative w/10 air exchanges per hour
What two steps are involved in decontamination? ✔✔ 1. Manual and/or automated
mechanical cleaning
2. application of a thermal or chemical disinfection process
Define Cleaning... ✔✔ The removal of contamination from an item to the extent necessary for
further processing or for the intended use.
nosocomial infections are well documented and caused by... ✔✔ poor or ineffective
decontamination of instruments
What are Employee hazards in the decontamination process? ✔✔ Technicians work with a large
amount of 1) unidentified bioburden 2) wet enviornment 3) handling contaminated sharps 4)
must know procedures for proper handling, equipment, cleaning/sterilization agents
How do you properly clean a device? ✔✔ follow the device manufacturer's written instructions
What is the starting point in sterilization? ✔✔ Cleaning
Define decontamination ✔✔ The process of cleaning surgical instruments, patient care devices,
and all involved surfaces in order to render areas and items safe for handling and/or further
processing
What are physical safety hazards? ✔✔ -good body mechanics -correct body techniques and
posture for lifting, pushing, pulling, and reaching -should be alert and correct anything that is
a potential injury -lifts to lift heavy supplies, available work material, adjustable chairs,
padding on sharp edges, correct height tables -proper clothing can prevent injury
, ✔✔ Box lock and jaws
What does the ABC system stand for? ✔✔ A: large dollar amount items not used
frequently B: moderately priced and used frequently
C: items w/ low dollar value
What is just in time distribution? ✔✔ Items are distributed to department by vendor no need
for sterile storage or inventory control.
What are specialty/ procedure carts? ✔✔ Carts placed in specific departments based on
procedures
personalized to needs of departments easily accessible.
What is case cart distribution? ✔✔ visually in specialty areas case carts are delivered to
department case cart is specialized to departments needs
What is the exchange cart distribution? ✔✔ Two identical carts are made one is out in the
department and other stays in SPD
What is par level distribution? ✔✔ There is fixed inventory and when items become low they
are replenished from the stockroom per department/specialty
What is demand distribution? ✔✔ An instrument/cart must be ordered in order to get it
What are the most common distribution systems? ✔✔ 1) demand 2)par-level 3)Exchange
4)case carts 5) Specialty 6) Just in time
What is the air pressure of the sterile storage area? ✔✔ positive air flows out
What is shelf life ✔✔ period of time which a sterile item is considered safe to use