What it means
Hospitals use several kinds: steam sterilizers (autoclaves), the most common, and low-temperature sterilizers for heat-sensitive items, such as hydrogen peroxide gas plasma and ethylene oxide. Each load is checked with printouts of time, temperature and pressure, chemical indicators that change color, and biological indicators (strips of harmless bacterial spores) that show whether spores were killed. Prevacuum steam sterilizers also get a daily Bowie-Dick testBOE-ee DIK testA daily test that checks whether a prevacuum steam sterilizer removes all the air from its chamber.Full entry .
For the nurse
Before opening a sterile package, check that the indicator has changed color and the package is dry and intact; if not, do not use it.
At a glance
| Also written | sterilizers |
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Related terms
reprocessing
The steps that make a used reusable medical device safe to use on the next patient.
aeration
Airing out: in sterile processing, the step that removes leftover ethylene oxide gas from items after sterilization.
sterilant
A chemical that kills all forms of microbial life, including bacterial spores.
Bowie-Dick test
A daily test that checks whether a prevacuum steam sterilizer removes all the air from its chamber.