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Outpatient Surgery E-Weekly

Contact Congress Over Drug Shortage Issues

A Kentucky congressman is urging surgical facilities to contact their members of Congress and request that they sign his letter demanding changes to...

N.J. Posts ASC Inspection Reports Online

State and federal inspection reports of New Jersey's ASCs are now available online, giving patients an opportunity to make more informed choices abo...

Are Opioids Necessary?

While it's not always practical, or even possible, to eliminate opioids from your post-op pain management regiment, reducing their use in favor of n...

Archive > April, 2009 Vol. X, No. 4

Infection Prevention

Are Those Instruments Really Sterile?

Linda Greene, RN, MPS, CIC

Sterility is invisible. Unlike clearing a table or mopping a floor, the results of instrument reprocessing aren't easy to judge. A sterile instrument can look just like a non-sterile one. But sterilization assurance indicators detect what the unaided eye cannot by measuring what goes on during the steam sterilization process. When used properly, their physical, chemical and biological monitoring can ensure the integrity of your reprocessing system and the sterility of your surgical instruments.

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Categories: Infection Control
Keywords:
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