Open Forum

We are updating our processes related to autoclave and sterilizing our instruments. Looking to see what other organizations are doing to track instrument use on patients. If there is an issue with the autoclave quality assurance, how do you track back what instruments were used on patients between the last successful quality assurance test? What processes is your organization following to document each load and then track the use of each instrument on patients.

Any guidance would be much appreciated!

Thank you!

At my FQHC we do bacteriologic testing each day the autoclave is used.  We sequester instruments until the test for that day has passed (test negative, control positive).  We put the instruments away such that the soonest to expire instruments are used first.  We don't, however, track which load the instruments are from for any given procedure.  I'm curious what others are doing.

We are updating our processes related to autoclave and sterilizing our instruments. Looking to see what other organizations are doing to track instrument use on patients. If there is an issue with the autoclave quality assurance, how do you track back what instruments were used on patients between the last successful quality assurance test? What processes is your organization following to document each load and then track the use of each instrument on patients.

Any guidance would be much appreciated!

Thank you!