Departmental Considerations
15%of exam
Cleaning + Decontamination
21%of exam
Preparation + Packaging
21%of exam
Sterilization Process
21%of exam
Storage + Inventory
9%of exam
Patient Care Equipment
5%of exam
Professional Skills
8%of exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- CRCST
- Provider
- HSPA
- Questions
- 150
- Time
- 3 hours
- Pass
- 70%
- Fee
- $140
- Experience
- 400 hours
- Format
- Computer-based
Workflow
Dirty to clean to sterile.
DeconPrepSterilizeStore
Department Basics
- Workflow
- Dirty to clean
- Decon
- Soiled work area
- Prep
- Clean assembly area
- Sterile storage
- Protected supply area
- IFU
- Manufacturer instructions
- SDS
- Chemical safety data
- QA
- Quality assurance
Environmental Controls
- Temperature
- Area-specific range
- Humidity
- Area-specific range
- Airflow
- Directional control
- Traffic
- Restricted movement
- Attire
- Dress code
- Hand hygiene
- Before/after tasks
Spaulding Memory
Critical enters sterile tissue.
Critical: sterilizeSemi: HLDNoncritical: disinfect
Cleaning vs Sterilization
Cleaning
- Removes soil
- Always first
Sterilization
- Kills all microbes
- After cleaning
Remove then kill
Process Picker
- Item is soiled→Clean first
- Critical item→Sterilize
- Semicritical item→HLD
- Noncritical item→Disinfect
- IFU conflicts→Follow IFU
- Damage found→Remove service
Decon Safety
- PPE
- Barrier protection
- Sharps
- Injury risk
- Biofilm
- Microbial layer
- Bioburden
- Microbial load
- CJD
- Prion concern
- Eyewash
- Chemical splash response
- Point-of-use
- Keep soils moist
Cleaning Methods
- Manual cleaning
- Hands-on removal
- Ultrasonic
- Cavitation cleaning
- Washer-disinfector
- Automated cleaning
- Cart washer
- Transport cart cleaning
- Enzymatic
- Breaks organic soil
- Rinse
- Remove residue
- Drying
- Prevent dilution/corrosion
Spaulding
- Critical
- Sterile tissue contact
- Semicritical
- Mucous membrane contact
- Noncritical
- Intact skin contact
- Sterilization
- Kills all microbes
- HLD
- Kills many microbes
- LLD
- Routine surface disinfection
Package Check
Clean, functional, open, protected.
No soilWorksHinges openTips guarded
Decon vs Prep
Decon
- Soiled side
- PPE heavy
Prep
- Clean side
- Inspect/package
Dirty vs clean
Inspection Packaging
- Visual check
- Cleanliness/damage
- Function test
- Instrument works
- Insulation test
- Laparoscopic safety
- Lubrication
- IFU-based care
- Count sheet
- Tray contents list
- Tip protector
- Protect sharp ends
- Stringer
- Open hinged instruments
Instrument Basics
- Hemostat
- Clamp vessels
- Forceps
- Grasp tissue
- Scissors
- Cut tissue/suture
- Retractor
- Hold tissue back
- Needle holder
- Hold needles
- Rongeur
- Bite bone
- Osteotome
- Cut bone
Monitor Stack
Physical, chemical, biological.
Physical: printoutChemical: colorBI: spores
BI vs CI
BI
- Living spores
- Lethality proof
CI
- Chemical change
- Exposure evidence
Spore vs chemistry
Monitor Picker
- Need cycle data→Physical monitor
- Need exposure proof→Chemical indicator
- Need lethality proof→BI
- Vacuum steam test→Bowie-Dick
- Implant load→BI result
- Monitor fails→Recall load
Sterilization Methods
- Steam
- Moist heat
- EtO
- Gas sterilant
- H2O2 plasma
- Low temperature
- Ozone
- Low temperature
- Cycle
- Exposure parameters
- Load
- Items processed together
- Dry time
- Moisture removal
IUSS vs Terminal
IUSS
- Immediate need
- No storage
Terminal
- Wrapped cycle
- Stored for later
Now vs later
Monitoring
- Physical monitor
- Time/temp/pressure
- Chemical indicator
- Condition exposure
- Integrator
- Multiple parameters
- BI
- Spore test
- Bowie-Dick
- Air removal test
- PCD
- Process challenge device
- Recall
- Failed load action
Event vs Time
Event-related
- Sterile until event
- Package integrity
Time-related
- Calendar date
- Expiration driven
Compromise vs date
Storage Picker
- Wrap torn→Reprocess
- Package wet→Reprocess
- Dust cover intact→Store
- Recall notice→Pull item
- Old stock present→FIFO
- Cart leaves SPD→Closed transport
Storage Inventory
- Event-related
- Sterility until compromised
- FIFO
- Oldest used first
- PAR
- Set inventory level
- Case cart
- Procedure supply cart
- Closed transport
- Protect sterile items
- Recall
- Remove defective stock
- UDI
- Device identifier
Loaner vs Consignment
Loaner
- Temporary set
- Case-specific
Consignment
- Vendor-owned stock
- Stored onsite
Temporary vs stocked
Equipment Distribution
- SCD
- Compression device
- Pump
- Infusion equipment
- PM tag
- Maintenance status
- Biomedical
- Equipment repair
- Tracking
- Location/status record
- Cleaning label
- Ready status
Professional QA
- Service recovery
- Fix customer issue
- Teamwork
- Shared accountability
- Terminology
- Medical language
- HIPAA
- Patient privacy
- Lean
- Reduce waste
- Six Sigma
- Reduce defects
Common Traps
Cleaning first
Soil blocks sterilization ≠ Sterilizers need clean items
BI vs CI
BI proves lethality ≠ CI shows exposure
Wet packs
Wet pack compromised ≠ Reprocess required
Hinged instruments
Open for sterilant ≠ Closed blocks contact
IUSS misuse
Not convenience cycle ≠ Immediate need only
IFU priority
IFU drives process ≠ Preference cannot override
Last Minute
- 1.150 questions; 3 hours
- 2.400 hours experience required
- 3.Top three domains = 63%
- 4.Cleaning always comes first
- 5.Critical items need sterilization
- 6.BI = spore test
- 7.CI = exposure indicator
- 8.Wet pack = reprocess
- 9.Follow device IFU
- 10.Workflow: dirty to sterile
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