Evaluation Summary Flashcards
7 cards from real CRCST practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Evaluation Summary flashcards as text
A CS technician is reviewing a sterilization record and notices the cycle was aborted midway due to a door seal failure. What is the appropriate evaluation outcome for this load?
Answer: Reject the load because the cycle was not completed as validated
An aborted cycle is not a complete, validated sterilization process; all items in the load must be reprocessed.
When reviewing an EO (ethylene oxide) sterilization cycle printout, which critical parameter must be within validated ranges to evaluate the cycle as successful?
Answer: Gas concentration, temperature, humidity, and exposure time
EO sterilization requires gas concentration, temperature, relative humidity, and exposure time all within validated ranges for a successful cycle.
A sterile package is found with a torn outer wrap during distribution. Which is the correct evaluation and action?
Answer: Consider the item non-sterile and remove it from service for reprocessing
Any breach in packaging compromises the sterile barrier; the item must be considered non-sterile and returned for reprocessing regardless of inner wrap condition.
What is the significance of a 'wet pack' discovered after a steam sterilization cycle during post-cycle evaluation?
Answer: It indicates a sterilization failure and items must be reprocessed
Wet packs are considered sterilization failures because moisture can support microbial growth and compromise the sterile barrier.
During evaluation of a hydrogen peroxide plasma sterilization cycle, the cycle aborts in the diffusion phase. What should the CS technician do?
Answer: Re-run the cycle from the beginning after investigating the abort cause
A cycle abort during any phase means the full validated cycle was not completed; items must be reprocessed after investigating the cause of the abort.
Which type of monitoring provides the highest level of assurance when evaluating a sterilization cycle?
Answer: Biological indicators (BIs)
Biological indicators using actual spores provide the highest level of sterilization assurance because they directly challenge the sterilization process.
A technician notices that a sterilizer's printout shows a temperature deviation of 1°F below the required minimum during the exposure phase. How should this cycle be evaluated?
Answer: Reject the load because the validated temperature range was not maintained
Any deviation below the minimum required temperature during the exposure phase means validated sterilization conditions were not achieved, and the load must be rejected.