A sterile processing technician is one of the most vital people in the medical field. These people are the ones who clean and sterilize medical equipment, lab devices, and surgical instruments. They are the ones who help guarantee they are safe for surgeons and other healthcare professionals.
Although it sounds easy, it can be challenging if an individual does not have proper knowledge of medical terms utilized in the field. Aspiring SPTs should be aware of this jargon, for it will help them better understand their seniors. People will mostly use this; hence, they enroll in an online sterile processing technician course . This program will help them learn knowledge, hone their skills, and obtain an SPT certification that verifies they are ready for the job.
Apart from that, this helps them be familiar with the following medical terms commonly used in the work domain:
BIOBURDEN
This is the number of viable microorganisms found in an item. It is also referred to as bio load or microbial load. Microorganisms found on products, instruments, devices, or packages are called bioburden.
The most important steps in decontaminating all reusable medical equipment are thorough cleaning and rinsing. This does not kill microorganisms but removes bioburden before disinfection or sterilization. Soak instruments in an enzymatic solution for at least 30 minutes before cleaning. Rinse thoroughly. This assists in the removal of bioburden and allow for thorough cleaning.
AUTOCLAVE
This is a sterilizer that employs steam to carry out its microbicidal function.
INDICATOR CHEMICAL
Chemical indicators are one of the most important devices for monitoring sterilization. They can respond to a specific chemical or physical change in one or more of the sterilizing chamber’s physical conditions. Chemical indicators can immediately detect potential sterilization issues. These could result from incorrect packaging, improper loading, or sterilizer malfunctions.
According to one study, chemical indicators were more likely than biological indicators to incorrectly indicate sterilization at marginal sterilization times (e.g., 2 minutes). Although chemical indicators can be used alongside biological indicators, existing research should not be used to replace them. They indicate sterilization at marginal sterilization times, and only a biological indicator resistant to spores can determine the sterilization process’s microbicidal killing potential.
DECONTAMINATION
Decontamination is a process or treatment that makes a medical device or instrument safe to use or handlOSHA defines decontaminationSHA as “the use or combination of chemical or physical means to remove, activate, or destroy bloodborne pathogens from a surface or object so that they are no longer capable of transmitting infectious particles.”
These are only a few medical terms utilized in the field. Learn more about these vocabularies in the article written by Martinson College :
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