Importance Of Sterilization of the equipment in the hospitals

Importance Of Sterilization of the equipment in the hospitals

Report Guidelines:
Choose a health related business topic of interest to you; e.g. private versus public hospitals, health
insurance for all, waiting time at outpatient clinics (either private and/or public etc.
Your report should include an introduction, body and a summary. It should also include the references
you have used for this assignment.
Do a comprehensive search on media coverage on this topic; this may include newspaper articles, online
articles, social media and radio or TV coverage.
In the body of the report you should analyze those media articles, and identify how the chosen topic
was portrayed by the media; for example how the media portrays health care business and its
challenges. Furthermore, in your report you should discuss how you view the way mass media’s way of
portraying health care related topics; for example:
• Are they fair and balanced in their reporting?
• Are the topics well covered?
• Are the reporters well informed and competent enough to report on health care related topics?
Should be at least 1000 words (maximum 1200 words); excluding the references.
Please note:
• The report is worth 20% of the total course grade
• The report is due during week 13
• Refer to the grading rubric as a guide
• This is an individual assignment
• You must have a minimum of 3 references
• Please email me your selected topic (for approval) no later than FEB 14th!
• You may submit a draft

 

Solution

Introduction
The term sterilization has several meanings depending on the situation where it is being
used. In a hospital setting, sterilization refers to the process of destroying micro-organism and
their pathogenic products; it can also be defined as the complete elimination of the living
microorganism (Widmer and Frei, 2011). This process can be accomplished using various
methods including gas plasma, high pressure steam, irradiation or even the use of specified
chemical compounds. During the sterilization process of equipment, the resistance cell of
bacteria is put into consideration; this is because different bacteria are destroyed using different
temperature levels. Some of the medical instruments which are used during surgery and
outpatient clinics, in most cases are reusable, it is important to sterilize the instruments so as to
make them safe to be used on different patients
Steps and methods of sterilization
It is important to prepare equipment first before sterilization, the process of sterilization is
grouped into four processes, the first process is the decontamination process, and this is a
physical and chemical process which ensures that the contaminated instrument is clean for
further handling in the next process. The decontamination process involves; contaminated
equipment is taken to the decontamination area, the instruments are then sorted out, they are then
washed using the recommended detergent or equipment, after cleaning the equipment is
inspected then packaged. After decontamination and packaging, sterilizing process follows, a
reliable sterilization process depends on the strength and contact of the sterilizing agent with all
the surface of the instrument to be sterilized. The method to be used depends on the equipment,
some of the methods include; the dry heat method, this is where a dry heat in the form of hot air
is used to kill the bacteria. The use of a microwave is another method, microwaves produce a

STERILIZATION Of THE EQUIPMENT IN THE HOSPITALS
radiation which has hypothermic condition that disrupt the life process of a bacteria hence they
end up dead. The last process involved during sterilization is quality assurance; this process is
required to ensure that the equipment is sterile when used (Butler and Thomas 2013).
The importance of sterilization of the equipments in hospitals
One of the most important reasons to carry out sterilization is to prevent the build up of
diseases causing bacteria. At the time of use, the equipment gets contaminated, so if left
unchecked or not sterilized properly, it is likely for the bacteria to grow thus increase the chances
of infection. Sterilization also prevents spread of disease such as AIDS, the equipment might be
used on different patients who are exposed to different diseases, in order to prevent and reduce
the chances of the spread of another patient’s disease to another it is important to carry out
sterilization (Anderson, et al 2014). Sterilization of equipments in the hospitals also prevents
double surgeries this is because the equipment used in surgical operation is reused. Equipment
which is not sterilized may cause infection to a patient, the infection may occur in the later
stages, forcing the doctors to carry out another surgery to remove it. To avoid this it is always
important to carry out sterilization so as to prevent further medical problems.
Challenges of sterilization
Hospitals face some challenges during sterilization; some of these challenges require
immediate correction while others are complicated and requires a lot of term research. These
sterilization challenges include; some medical instruments are made of plastic, during dry heat
sterilization the plastic cannot tolerate the heat, as a result the equipment end up being destroyed.
Another challenge is about the designing of the equipment, when designing equipment to be used
in hospitals for medical operations, the material to be used and the shape of the equipment are
put into consideration, however, some material used to manufacture an equipment, during

STERILIZATION Of THE EQUIPMENT IN THE HOSPITALS
sterilization may react with the sterilizing agent causing more complicated medical problems
(Lerouge, 2012). Some instruments are also designed in such a way that makes it difficult to
sterilize them after they have been used. Another challenge facing sterilization of the equipments
in hospitals is poor training offered to individuals involved in the sterilization process.
Sterilization process is difficult and complex; due to this those involved are required to go under
special training to handle the equipment. In recent times it has been difficult for the medical
sector to establish medical institution involved in training due to lack of funds. The hospital
management should try to ensure that the departments involved in handling the hospital
equipment are certified (Liu, 2012).
How media portrays sterilization
Sterilization of the equipment in the hospitals has been under the spotlight in the media,
the media is trying to push the medical sector to update the policies, procedures and methods of
sterilization to the current standards and technologies. Most of the issues raised by the media are
based on the identified risk on medical goals to minimize the chances of spreading infections
associated with the use of hospital equipment (Rutala and Weber, 2014). The media insist that
there is still a great confusion and poor practices surrounding sterilization process, they state that
there is still no accurate procedure for sterilization since hospitals still follows rigid guidelines
during cleaning and sterilization exposure period yet new infection are being discovered. In
addition the media claim that hospital equipment used on patients during surgical operations are
not adequately cleaned. Sterilization is a complex procedure, and there is no sufficient acceptable
cleaning procedure being used, doctors only used the manufacture’s instruction while using
cleaning agents. The media have documented several cases where the manufacture’s instruction
was followed yet the equipment caused infection even after sterilization. The media strongly

STERILIZATION Of THE EQUIPMENT IN THE HOSPITALS
recommends that each hospital should have clear guideline policies in place that deals with how
to carry out sterilization process so that to reduce the medical problems associated with this
procedure.
Summary
As illustrated in this paper, in order to limit the spread or transmission of the disease
causing organism related to reusable equipment in hospitals, it is important to carry out proper
cleaning and sterilization. Hospitals have put across rational approaches and procedures to
sterilization of the equipment, based on the potential risk of infection involved when the
equipment is in use. The process of sterilization involves different steps and methods necessary,
such as; radiation sterilization, heat sterilization and sterilization using chemical agents.
Individuals in the healthcare sector are aware and know that sterilization should be considered as
a regular routine on the equipments reused. The media on its part plays a role in identifying the
challenges faced during sterilization and also tries to give recommendations to solve the
problems. It is recommended that each reusable equipment must be sterile and the involved
parties should work together to ensure the process is successiful.

STERILIZATION Of THE EQUIPMENT IN THE HOSPITALS
References

Widmer, A. F., & Frei, R. (2011). Decontamination, disinfection, and sterilization. <
http://www.asmscience.org/content/book/10.1128/9781555816728.chap11>
Butler, Thomas J. (2013). Laboratory Exercises for Competency in Respiratory Care.
Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company, 2013. Print. <
https://books.google.com/books?id=LcfZAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA43&dq=steps+and+metho
d+of+sterilization&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=steps%20and%20method
%20of%20sterilizati on&f=false>
Anderson, D. J., Podgorny, K., Berríos-Torres, S. I., Bratzler, D. W., Dellinger, E. P., Greene, L.,
.. & Kaye, K. S. (2014). Strategies to prevent surgical site infections in acute care
hospitals: 2014 update. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, 35(06), 605-627.
<http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9496685&
fileId=S0195941700093267>
Lu, M. H., Xiang, W. H., He, Y., & Liu, X. D. (2012). Management and Maintenance of
Sterilization and Cleaning Equipment in Hospital Sterile Supply Room [J]. Chinese
Medical Equipment Journal, 1, 054.< http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTotal-
YNWS201201054.htm>
Lerouge, S. (2012). Introduction to sterilization: definitions and challenges. Lerouge S, Simmons
A, Sterilisation of Biomaterials and Medical Devices. Woodhead Publishing Series in
Biomaterials, 1-19.
Rutala, W. A., & Weber, D. J. (2014). Gastrointestinal endoscopes: a need to shift from
disinfection to sterilization?. JAMA, 312(14), 1405-1406.

STERILIZATION Of THE EQUIPMENT IN THE HOSPITALS
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