What is gross soil?
Gross soil is tissue, body fat, blood, and other body substances that can be found on surgical instrumentation after surgical procedures.
Give 5 examples of instruments that are considered "sharps"
Knives, Blades, Scalpels, needles, scissors, chisels, dissectors, rongeurs, punches, saws, trocars, osteotomes, etc.
Name three of the five locations that produce the majority of the soiled items that are brought to Central Processing
Surgical Department, Labour & Delivery, ER services, endoscopy, Cardiac Catherization lab.
What is cross-contamination?
When items that are soiled with gross contamination come into contact with a clean environment and/or sterile instrumentation
Point-of-use is where the ___________ process begins.
cleaning/decontamination
True or False: Instruments must be kept dry during transport from their point-of-use to decontamination.
False. Instruments should be kept moist to prevent blood and other substances from drying on their surfaces.
True or False: Instruments should be left open when soaked in an enzymatic solution.
True. This allows enzymatic product to work into all crevices and reach every part of the instrument.
Transportation of surgical items outside the hospital is regulated by which of the following agencies?
a. AAMI
b. FDA
c. DOT
d. EPA
c. DOT, the U.S. Department of Transportation regulates the transport of medical items outside of the hospital.
Define PPE and give examples of what a CST might need to wear during the transport of soiled items.
PPE: Personal Protective Equipment
i.e. Gloves, gown, eye protection (if there is a risk of splashes), hair cover, shoe covers, and mask.
What does biohazard signage notate?
Biohazard signage alerts persons in the area about the potential presence of harmful bacteria, viruses, or other dangerous biohazard agents or organisms.