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Best practices established by
regulatory agencies state that monitoring of sterilizers using
biological indicators (BI’s)
should be done Weekly, if not daily (or before each day the
sterilizer is used). ATS, Inc. recommends that every sterilizer in
the medical field should be monitored at least Weekly.
Sterilizer operators should use Class 5 Integrators with each cycle
between the BI testing. (Rationale: If a Positive BI test
occurs, there is no more than 5 days of sterilized items that are in
question that were processed since the last Negative BI test
report).
Some of the recommended practices
are listed here starting with the Federal governments
CDC recommendations.
CDC (Center for
Disease Control and Prevention)
www.cdc.gov
"All sterilizers should be monitored
at least once a week with commercial preparations of spores intended
specifically for the type of sterilizer."
(from Gamer JS, Favero MS. CDC
guideline for hand washing and Hospital environment control 1985.
Infection Control 1986; 7:231-43)
AAMI (Association for
the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation)
www.aami.org
“Biological
indicators should be used within
PCDs for routine sterilizer
efficacy monitoring at least weekly, but preferably every day that
the sterilizer is in use.” (from ANSI/AAMI ST79:2006, Section
10.5.3.2)
AORN (Association of
Perioperative Registered Nurses)
www.aorn.org
“For routine monitoring should be
used weekly, and as needed; each load of implantables.” (from
Recommended Practices, Sterilization & Disinfection, 1987)
OSAP
(Organization for Safety & Asepsis Procedures) www.osap.org
“The use and functioning of heat
sterilizers should be biologically monitored at least weekly, or
more often if the practice demands it, with appropriate spore
tests.” (from Infection Control in Dentistry Guidelines, September
1997)
VA (Veteran’s
Administration)
“…must be sterilizer monitored no
less than weekly, each load of implantables or intravascular
materials, following major sterilizer repairs, new products or
packaging material.” (from VA Manual G1, MP-2, Sub-chapter E,
Change 159, June 22, 1083)
AAP (American
Academy of Pediatrics)
www.aap.org
Biological indicators are necessary
to ensure sterility. A variety of indicator systems are available.
The procedure recommended by the manufacturer to document sterility
should be done at least weekly and results should be recorded.”
(from June 2000 Policy Statement) |
