Needling Precaution Procedures and Sterilizing of Instruments

It Is The Responsibility of the IMS Practitioner To Contact Their Local Health Authority For

Information And Guidelines On Sterilizing Protocols.   This Should Be Done At Least Twice A

Year As Practice Procedures Are Constantly Being Updated. Any sterilizer used to process IMS

needle plungers, must be validated for narrow lumen devices.

Needling Precaution Procedures:

The following procedures must be strictly adhered to when doing Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS) - for

your own protection, and that of the patients.

Single disposable needle use:

1. Wash your hands before examination and / or treatment of all patients.  If you leave a patient and then return, wash again before attending to the patient.  Anti-bacterial soap should be available in all treatment rooms.
2. All needles must be counted going in and matched against the number coming out.  Used
   needles must immediately be placed in the sharps container.  No needles are to be placed on counters, beds or elsewhere.
3. Extra caution should be taken when removing blankets, moving pillows etc, as needles can
   become caught and pose a risk.
4. Used alcohol swabs, cotton swabs, etc should be placed in the waste container.  Nothing is to be left on the counters or beds.
5. It is your responsibility to ensure your Hepatitis and other vaccinations are current for your own protection and that of your staff.

Plunger use

As a plunger is a hollow tubed or lumened instrument, sterilizing must be done in an autoclave which has been validated for sterilizing narrow lumen devices, for example a pressure / pulse or fractionated vacuum sterilizer.  The Statim 2000 unit has been tested to confirm full sterilization of straight hollow instruments (such as the plunger) with both wrapped and unwrapped loads.

Plungers Must Be Sterile

1. Plungers must be sterilized prior to initial use.
2. After sterilization, a sterile needle may be placed in the plunger.
3. During treatment, frequently check to see needle is not bent – if so, replace with another sterile needle.
4. The needle is disposed of in the sharps container after the treatment! 
5. The plunger is to be sterilized after each use.
6. Plungers are reusable but must be sterilized after each use as described in the sterilization protocol.

Sterilizing of Instruments

SOURCE:  Ministry of Health British Columbia, Patient Safety Branch

“Best practice Guidelines for the Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization of Medical Devices in Health Authorities” March 2007

All reprocessing of devices must meet these best practices.

Reprocessing:  the steps performed to prepare used medical devices for use – cleaning, disinfection and sterilization.

Best practices must include:

Verification of current methodology:

The Manufacturer must supply device specific recommendations for cleaning and reprocessing of equipment.

Also, recommendations for auditing the recommended process must be given.

Plunger is classified as a Critical Device i.e. enters tissue including the vascular system.  This requires cleaning followed by sterilization.

ISTOP must provide written information regarding the safe and appropriate reprocessing of the medical device.

DISASSEMBLING AND CLEANING REUSABLE MEDICAL DEVICES

“Cleaning is always essential prior to disinfection or sterilization. An item that has not been cleaned cannot be assumedly disinfected or sterilised” Health Canada

The process should include written protocols. 

Cleaning is always essential prior to disinfection or sterilization. An item that has not been cleaned cannot be assuredly disinfected or sterilized.

The process of cleaning is to physically remove contaminants from the equipment / device, rather than to kill or damage microorganisms.  If an item is not cleaned, soil (eg blood, body fluids, dirt) can protect the micro microorganisms organisms from the action of the disinfection or sterilization process making it ineffective, as well as inactivating the disinfectant or sterilant so that it does not work.  Disinfectants that become overloaded with soil can become contaminated and may themselves become a source for transmission of microorganisms.

                     -  remove soil using brushes

                     -  employ ultrasonic cleaning after gross soil has been removed

                     -  ultrasonic washes are recommended for critical medical device that has joints,

                        crevices or lumens. Manufacturers’ instructions must be followed for the use of the

                        ultrasonic cleaner and solution should be changed at least daily.

                     -  Brushes must be cleaned and disinfected after use

STERILIZATION OF REUSABLE MEDICAL DEVICES

Sterilization is the elimination of all disease – producing microorganisms.

All sterilization processes must ensure that the manufacturers instructions are followed plus regular maintenance.

The process must be validated and documented with written policies and procedures.

The process requires testing, monitoring and auditing.

Sterility must be maintained until point of use and stored in a clean, dry location.

Integrity of packaging must be checked and validity of monitors.

For all sterilizers:

              3 Parameters must be completed:

Staff must document the daily operation of the sterilizer.