Medical Equipment Cleaning Process: Contaminated and Sterile Areas

The assignment delves into the practices involved in cleaning and sterilizing medical equipment within a healthcare facility. It outlines two primary areas: the contaminated zone where dirty surgical items are initially collected and processed, emphasizing the unidirectional flow of equipment to prevent contamination; and the sterile area, which prepares sanitized instruments for reuse. The process involves rigorous checks, identification protocols, and detailed cleaning steps including manual and machine-assisted methods such as ultrasound and thermal drying. Additionally, distinct procedures are described for specific types of equipment used in surgeries like those involving the abdomen. The assignment highlights critical aspects such as the use of labels for tracking surgical items, prioritized cleaning schedules, and stringent hand hygiene practices post-contamination exposure.

Clean area
The visited place was cleaning area of medical equipment. It was mainly used for
surgery. On the other side of the wall, the reusable medical material was processed.
Dirty or contaminated area
A contaminated area is a place where all the dirty surgical items and other equipment are sent
in boxes. Items are regularly physically checked to confirm that they are at their right place.
Equipment in this field flows in one direction. Items used for the survey are sent for quality
cleaning according to their priority. To avoid contamination, doorways are appropriately
sterilized. No one can enter into the cleaning premises before showing their identification
card. Even, the workers have to show their ID cards. Sterile and contaminated medical
instruments are always kept in different boxes. All the sterile items are transferred into the
clean place so they can again used in multiple medical procedures. Various kind of rubbish
material is thrown in the garbage, and all the sharps instrument first put in the boxes and then
sent for the process of disposition. Scrubber signed this process. The labels are used to find
their actual status, i.e., prior or post-surgery. Date, patient name, and signature are written on
the label. Delicate items are separated from solid ones. Items that cannot handle the pressure
of disinfectants are manually cleaned. Before putting in a tray, contaminated items are
sprayed by a disinfectant. The equipment that is used at the time of abdomen surgery is
washed in a particular place and by a different procedure. Machine and manual process are
two methods of cleaning and disinfection. Mostly, machine procedure is used because it takes
around one hour. In this process, the first step is rinse; second is a wash using disinfectant
and last in drying thermally. Ultrasound is used for cleaning unreachable areas. The
ultrasound work through a generator that creates energy that makes vacuum to clean the
objects. Multiple chemicals are used in producing plastics. There are various stages in a
machine which cleans the plastic. Index washer is the first chamber which includes two
minutes pre-rinse with tap water. For next five minutes, it is washed at a temperature of 60
with an enzymatic solution, and then it is rinsed using mineral water. After that, the
equipment proceeds to ultra-sonic, where it stays for six minutes. Then the object is dried
after using thermal disinfection. It is necessary to ensure that your hands are cleaned after
visiting the contaminated area.
Cleaning or sterilized area
Before performing surgery, a bunch of items is sent to the operators, and they counter check
and pack such items before sending it back to the hospital. Operator ensures that equipment is
clean and sterilized before sending them back to the hospital. After checking the items,
operator provides that tray is ready to use and items are available to wrap. There is a specific
procedure of packaging such equipment; the wrapping material allows the steam to release
and pass through. Linen is used in covering the heavy loads.