Confidence in ETO Sterilization (1.0 CE for Nurses)

Preventing infection for every patient is a primary responsibility for perioperative personnel in all surgical practice settings. A key measure to reduce the risk of infection during an operative or invasive procedure is to provide medical devices, instruments, and other supplies that are sterile at the time of use. While nurses and other members of the perioperative team are very familiar with the standards for sterilization validation within their hospital or health care facility, they may not be as knowledgeable about those used for products sterilized by their industry partners. This continuing education activity will provide a review of how perioperative personnel can be confident that industry sterilization processes meet effective and safe sterilization requirements. Traditional and non-traditional sterilization methodologies used by medical industry will be outlined. Clinical considerations regarding the use of ethylene oxide (ETO) gas for sterilizing medical devices, followed by a review of key concerns related to novel, non-traditional ETO sterilization methodologies, will be presented. Key considerations related to labeling of sterilized products, including a discussion about the importance of proper packaging and lot control numbers, will be discussed. Precautions used to ensure both efficacy and safety of items sterilized by ETO for healthcare workers and patients will be reviewed. Lastly, industry standards and required documentation for cleaning and reprocessing medical devices will be discussed.