Who is the course for

This course is for healthcare staff required to operate and/or weekly test large steam sterilizers used for wrapped surgical instruments and other medical devices.

Note 1: Weekly testing is identified in guidance as a Competent Person (Decontamination) task. Since this is historically due to the necessary access requirements of older sterilizers it is feasible that organisations, with advice from their AE(D), might elect to delegate this task to the responsible users.

Aims & objectives

This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills to safely complete routine checks and tests required to NHS guidance over a weekly period on clinical large porous load steam sterilizers.

Note 2: This training does not override local protocols for production processing or manufacturer/supplier obligation to provide adequate instruction for equipment operation.

BY THE END OF THE COURSE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO:

– Describe the decontamination process

– Explain the relationship between the saturation temperature and pressure of steam

– Define the terms most commonly used in basic microbiology and sterilization

– State the main responsibilities of key personnel defined in HTM01-01 Part A

– State safety precautions applicable when testing sterilizers

– Carry out periodic testing

– Complete test records and correctly interpret the results