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Today, the Bowie-Dick (BD) test is widely used and recognized as a valuable means of monitoring the performance of vacuum-assisted steam sterilizers.

Understanding the features, benefits, and correct use of each tool is essential for maintaining safety and compliance in healthcare and laboratory settings.

In order to address the potential gaps of surface disinfection, newer technologies such as ultraviolet light in the C spectrum (UV-C) have become available in multiple settings.

Surgical instruments and other reusable devices can be washed and disinfected prior to sterilization in an automated washer disinfector. The use of automated equipment helps standardize the cleaning process, providing optimal cleaning and improving patient safety. These types of equipment are subject to maintenance and repairs, and this article aims to present critical operational assessments to be performed by the end-user after maintenance, before release for use.

Considering water as an essential element, its use occurs in several stages of processing: displacement of dirt through spraying in thermo-disinfecting washers and cavitation in ultrasonic washers, dilution of cleaning solutions, and in rinsing of medical devices.

The more types of antibiotics that a microorganism population is exposed to, the more drug resistances can be developed, leading to multidrug-resistant microorganisms.

AAMI recently published a new edition, ST79:2017,² and this self-study article reviews some of the new information and key changes in the revised document.

Understanding when to use disposable and reusable items in sterile processing applications.