Healthcare sterilization indicators
Sterilization processes should be observed by the use of biological, mechanical, and chemical indicators. Mechanical and chemical processes do not give much assurance of the sterilization processes; nevertheless, they assist in detecting errors in the procedure like equipment malfunction, overloaded sterilizer.
Color change prone chemicals if exposed to time and combinations. Color-change sensitive chemicals, when exposed to time combinations with high temperatures, are used in chemical monitoring. Such examples of special markings packaging materials are strips, tapes, and tabs of chemical indicators. The results of the chemical indicator will be obtained directly after the sterilization cycle and may, therefore, be timelier than a spore test. To verify, For the instrument to penetrate and reach a chemical indicator in every package of the sterilizing agent. Inside every package, to verify it needs a chemical indicator whereby the sterilizing agent should pass through the package and reach inside the instrument. An exterior indicator must be employed if the peripheral package is not visible with the internal chemical indicator. Chemical indicators aid distinguish between processed and unprocessed products and thus eradicate the possibility of using non-sterilized devices.
The biological indicator gives evidence on the necessary circumstances on whether met to kill a specific portion of microbes conditions in the sterilization process, which gives confidence much confidence in the process. Bacterial spores are the most Microorganisms used in a biological process. Some of the hardest ones to kill are considered. Besides, bacterial spores are chosen based on their known resistance to this process for a specific sterilization process. In this process, which monitors these sterilization processes, for example, Geobacillus stearothermopilus spore determines resistance to steam and vaporized hydrogen.
In conclusion, spore tests or biological indicators are the most liable monitoring methods compare to chemical because the Sterilization is assessed directly by killing known microorganisms that are highly resistant like Geobacillus or Bacillus, thus become easy to provide accurate results.
Works cited.
Whitehead, Andrew, Mitchell Steinberg, and Charles Hughes. “Sterilization pouch with internal and external indicators.” U.S. Patent Application No. 12/351, pg. 427.
Basu, Debabrata, et al. “Sterilization indicators in central sterile supply department: quality assurance and cost implications.” infection control & hospital epidemiology 36.4 (2015): pg.484-486.