What is recommended practice for the use of flash sterilization?

• A. Items must be processed with specific time intervals
• B. Items should be soaked in sterilizing solutions before use
• C. Items should be processed quickly and packed in batches
• D. Items should be monitored for appropriate temperature and pressure

Answer: (D)

The recommended practice for the use of flash sterilization emphasizes the importance of monitoring items for appropriate temperature and pressure throughout the sterilization process. This practice ensures that the steam used for sterilization effectively penetrates the items being sterilized, achieving the necessary conditions to eliminate all microorganisms, including spores. Proper temperature and pressure are critical factors that directly influence the efficacy of the sterilization process and are monitored to ensure compliance with established protocols.

Ensuring that these parameters are met not only guarantees effective sterilization but also promotes patient safety, as improperly sterilized instruments can lead to surgical site infections and other complications. This monitoring can involve using biological indicators or chemical indicators to verify that the sterilization parameters have been met during the process.

On the other hand, other options may not reflect best practices. Specifically, processing items with specific time intervals or soaking them in sterilizing solutions does not align with the standard operating procedures for flash sterilization, as this method is meant to provide immediate availability of sterile instruments without additional soaking. Additionally, packing items in batches when utilizing flash sterilization can complicate the process and negate the purpose of rapid sterilization, which is to provide single items quickly as needed.