Cleaning, Disinfection, & Sterilization Flashcards

Which Spaulding classification applies to endoscopes that contact only intact mucous membranes?

Answer: Semi-critical

Semi-critical items contact mucous membranes or non-intact skin and require at minimum high-level disinfection.

What is the primary reason organic matter must be removed before disinfection?

Answer: It can inactivate or reduce disinfectant efficacy

Organic matter such as blood and tissue can bind to and neutralize disinfectants, significantly reducing their effectiveness.

Steam sterilization is NOT suitable for which type of item?

Answer: Moisture-sensitive electronic components

Heat- and moisture-sensitive items such as electronics require low-temperature sterilization methods like ethylene oxide or hydrogen peroxide plasma.

A biological indicator (BI) used in steam sterilization contains spores of which organism?

Answer: Geobacillus stearothermophilus

Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores are the standard biological indicator for steam sterilization because of their high heat resistance.

Which action should be taken when a wet pack is discovered after steam sterilization?

Answer: Consider the pack non-sterile and reprocess it

Wet packs are considered compromised because moisture can allow microbial wicking through packaging materials, rendering the contents non-sterile.

Glutaraldehyde used for high-level disinfection of endoscopes requires a minimum contact time at room temperature of:

Answer: 20 minutes

A 2% glutaraldehyde solution requires at least 20 minutes of contact at 20°C (68°F) to achieve high-level disinfection.

Which term describes sterilization monitoring that evaluates every parameter of the sterilization cycle simultaneously?

Answer: Chemical indicator Class 5 (integrating indicator)

Class 5 integrating indicators react to all critical parameters (time, temperature, and steam) and correlate with biological indicator performance.