How Is Sterilization Confirmed?

• Sterilization can only be confirmed by testing for the survival of spores after a complete cycle in the autoclave
• After a spore strip is processed in a sterilizer, it is mailed to a monitoring service
• In a laboratory setting, the spore strip is aseptically removed from its protective envelope and placed in a tube of culture media. It is then incubated for 7 days
• For each of the 7 days, the tube of culture media is inspected for cloudiness
• If the spores are live and have not been killed, cloudiness is noted in the culture media. If no cloudiness is noted in the culture media, then sterilization is confirmed

Is Chemical Monitoring Sufficient?

• Chemical Monitoring uses heat sensitive chemicals (not spores) to assess the physical conditions during the sterilization process
• Chemical monitoring involves the use of indicators that change color when exposed to certain temperatures
• Examples include autoclave tape, special markings on bags and pouches, and chemical indicator strips, tabs or packets

If a Chemical Indicator Changes Color, Has Sterilization Taken Place?

A chemical indicator only assesses the physical conditions (e.g., temperature) present during the cycle

When a sterilizer reaches the required temperature, it causes the chemical indicator to change color; however, it does not indicate how long the temperature was maintained. Keep this formula in mind...with the right amount of each: T+P+T (Time)(Pressure)(Temperature)= Sterilization