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Rethinking Sterilization Practices: Evidence for Event-Related Outdating

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Joan Webster*
Affiliation:
Royal Brisbane and Royal Women's Hospitals, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Wendy Lloyd
Affiliation:
Central Sterilising Department, Royal Women's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Ping Ho
Affiliation:
Central Sterilising Department, Royal Women's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Christine Burridge
Affiliation:
Royal Brisbane and Royal Women's Hospitals, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Narelle George
Affiliation:
Division of Microbiology, Queensland Health Pathology Service, Royal Brisbane and Royal Women's Hospitals, Herston, Queensland, Australia
*
Research, Level 6, Ned Hanlon Building, Royal Brisbane and Royal Women's Hospitals, Butterfield Street, Herston, QLD 4029, Australia

Abstract

A prospective study was conducted during a 2-year period to evaluate the effectiveness of event-related outdating. Hospital-prepared sterilized items (n = 152) were shelved in wards and every 3 months, several articles were retrieved and microbiologically tested. During the 2-year period, all of the items tested were sterile.

Type
Concise Communications
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2003

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