CAMTA Kitchen #1 – Sterilization

/in /by CAMTA
Hannah Belter, Michelle Masson and Chris Seigrist sterilize instruments in the OR Kitchen
 
When a surgery finishes all of the equipment must be sent for sterilization. Before this happens, each instrument has to be cleaned by hand and packaged so that it can be adequately sterilized.

OR technicians will drop surgical equipment off to laypersons working in the OR Kitchen. First, the instruments will be rinsed and scrubbed in a sink to get rid of any large debris and blood. Then they will get transferred to the bins (pictured above). In the first bin, all instruments are re-scrubbed and carefully examined before undergoing 3 rinses and another detailed inspection. Once the rinses are complete, instruments will be placed in boiling hot water to facilitate evaporation and drying. 

If an instrument doesn't have any moving parts it can be hand dried on a table. Otherwise, compressed air is used in another room to dry these instruments.
Chris Seigrist, Kristin O'Neil, Sylvia Emmelkamp, and Peter Hackett at the OR Kitchen Drying Table
 
Once instruments are dried, they move into the wrapping room where they are packaged and sent out for sterilization.
 
Wrapped and packaged equipment ready to be sent off!