3. How many probes will be on hand for turn overs?
How many procedures performed on average in a
single day?
How much time between procedures?
How many procedures, if any, are performed on
weekends?
Who picks up or delivers dirty or clean probes
from Radiology/FIC and how often?
4. The biggest hurdle to overcome in this initiative will
be location of which to Cidex the instruments.
The decontamination area has the available space
for the increased demand but requires a
temperature between 60 & 65F. Cidex, in order to
be effective, requires a temperature above 68F.
The only available area with SPD’s current
configuration, is the Prep & Assembly area. Here
the required temperature falls within the effective
range of Cidex.
5. According to the Cidex-OPA MSDS, the most serious hazard
is inhalation. See below:
“May cause irritation, including but not limited to discharge, coughing,
wheezing tightness of chest and throat, difficulty breathing and stinging
sensation in nose and throat, tingling of mouth and lips, headache, loss of
smell and dry mouth.”
“Inhalation of vapor may cause asthma-like symptoms (chest discomfort and
tightness, difficulty with breathing) as well as aggravate pre-existing asthma.”
First Aid Measures “Move to fresh air immediately. If experiencing difficulty
breathing, seek medical attention.”
6. AAMI ST:58- Chemical Sterilization and High-Level Disinfection in Health Care
Facilities is the universally accepted standards on proper HLD. Standards published
by AAMI (Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation) are what
The Joint Commission uses when inspecting Sterile Processing/Central Sterile areas.
ST:58 requires a minimum of 10 air exchanges per hour for HLD. The max
air exchanges per hour in Prep & Assembly is 10 and the minimum is 4.
ST:58 states that “local exhaust ventilation should be located at the level of
the point of discharge of the vapors pull vapors away from the work area
and not towards personnel in the room.”
ST:58 states that “a self-contained, freestanding system or local exhaust
hood should be installed to capture chemical vapor during processing.”
The hood is not required to vent outside or within a standalone system if
equipped with a filter that neutralizes the harmful vapors and the filter is
changed on a regular schedule.
7. SPD will require a workstation complete with power, sink,
Deionized Water supply, drain, back splash, and
ventilation.
There are several wall mounted Cidex units that will need
to be relocated from Radiology and FIC to SPD that require
power.
For the safety of my staff, I request that a hood be installed
that limits the exposure of my staff to the harmful vapors
given off by Cidex OPA.
