Disinfection and Sterilization in the Outpatient Setting 2

Infection Control

This module is part of a 2-volume set. Part 2 provides knowledge of proper sterilization techniques of medical equipment to help prevent the spread of disease through contaminated equipment.

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Healthcare professionals are at risk of exposure to a wide variety of diseases through patients who are treated in the medical office. The equipment and treatment room surfaces are often exposed to blood and other tissues and therefore are at risk for becoming contaminated. If proper infection control is not in place, infections can easily be transmitted through the office from the blood or tissue of the patients being treated, as well as the surfaces that are touched. Therefore, infection control and proper disinfection and sterilization procedures must be followed to minimize the risk of disease transmission and provide safety to the healthcare professionals and patients they treat.

You’ll learn

pre-procedure considerations
methods of sterilization
the process for sterilizing instruments
how to demonstrate sterilization procedures
techniques for maintaining quality assurance
much more (see Content Details for more specific information)

Step 0 - Introduction

Step 1 - Sterilization

Step 1.1 - Autoclave Sterilization

Step 1.2 - Flash sterilization

Step 1.3 - Dry-heat sterilization

Step 1.4 - Chemical vapor sterilization

Step 1.5 - Cold sterilization

Step 2 - Preparation for sterilizing instruments

Step 2.1 - Transporting instruments for sterilization

Step 2.2 - Pre-cleaning instruments

Step 2.3 - Packaging instruments

Step 3 - Sterilization process

Step 3.1 - Autoclave sterilization process

Step 3.2 - Flash sterilization process

Step 3.3 - Dry-heat sterilization process

Step 3.4 - Chemical vapor sterilization process

Step 3.5 - Instrument storage after sterilization

Step 4 - Quality assurance

Step 4.1 - Chemical monitoring

Step 4.2 - Physical monitoring

Step 4.3 - Biological monitoring

Step 4.4 - Sterilization failure

Describe pre-procedure considerations for sterilization.
Describe and demonstrate the preparation for sterilizing and protecting against bloodborne pathogens.
Describe methods of sterilization.
Describe and demonstrate sterilization procedures.
Know the correct post-procedure considerations following sterilization.
Define and demonstrate correct recording and reporting procedures.
Define and use related medical terminology.
Understand Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines. Understand correct post-procedure considerations.
Explain the Patient Privacy Rule (HIPAA), Patient Safety Act, and Patients' Bill of Rights.

The SIMTICS modules are all easy to use and web-based. This means they are available at any time as long as the learner has an internet connection. No special hardware or other equipment is required, other than a computer mouse for use in the simulations. Each of the SIMTICS modules covers one specific procedure or topic in detail. Each module contains:

an online simulation (available in Learn and Test modes)
descriptive text, which explains exactly how to perform that particular procedure including key terms and hyperlinks to references
2D images and a 3D model of applied anatomy for that particular topic
a step by step video demonstration by an expert
a quiz
a personal logbook that keeps track of all the modules the learner has studied and how long