HEALTHCARE SELF-STUDY SERIES Sponsored by N


PURCHASING EWS


September 2022 The self-study lesson on this central service topic was developed by 3M Health Care. The lessons are administered by Endeavor Healthcare Media.


Earn CEUs After careful study of the lesson, complete the examination at the end of this section. Mail the completed test and scoring fee to Healthcare Purchasing News for grading. We will notify you if you have a passing score of 70% or higher, and you will receive a certifi cate of completion within 30 days. Previous lessons are available at www.hpnonline.com.


Certifi cation The CBSPD (Certifi cation Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution) has pre-approved this in-service for one (1) contact hour for a period of fi ve (5) years from the date of original publication. Successful


completion of the lesson and post-test must be documented by facility management and those records maintained by the individual until recertifi cation is required. DO NOT SEND LES- SON OR TEST TO CBSPD. For additional infor- mation regarding certifi cation, contact CBSPD - 148 Main Street, Suite C-1, Lebanon, NJ 08833 • www.cbspd.net.


HSPA (Healthcare Sterile Processing Associa- tion, https://myhspa.org) ) has pre-approved this in-service for 1.0 Continuing Education Credits for a period of three years, until August 5, 2025. The approval number for this lesson is STERIS-HPN 220508.


For more information, direct any questions to Healthcare Purchasing News (941) 259-0832.


LEARNING OBJECTIVES


1. List eight types of expiration dates commonly used in medical device reprocessing and preparation


2. Identify ways to manage expiration dating in sterile processing departments


3. Discuss expiration dating activities to help keep departments ready for regulatory surveys


Sponsored by: Photo credit: Siyan Alfred | stock.adobe.com by Michele McKinley and Tammy Gentry I


Expiration dating in the SPD


s this expired? It seems like the question should be an easy one to answer by looking at the label of any time-sensi- tive item in a sterile processing department (SPD). But what if the labeled expiration date isn’t the one you need to follow? Many items in the SPD are labeled with expira- tion dates, but some require new expira- tion dates once a bottle is opened. Others receive expiration dating after they have gone through a process. Still others must be determined from a combination of items that have different individual expiration dates. In order to be sure that all sterile processing functions are safe and compliant with product instructions, department poli- cies, and regulatory standards, it’s impor- tant to understand which expiration dates should be followed and where to fi nd them.


Expiration dating purposes and terms


Expiration dates inform users when an item is no longer acceptable to use safely. What makes an item unsafe depends on the type of item. For example, one common item used in SPDs is microbicidal chemistries such as sterilants and disinfectants. As they age, the active ingredients in these formulations can lose their ability to kill or inactivate microorganisms over time. The expiration dates printed on sterilants and


disinfectants help prevent staff from using a microbicidal chemistry that is ineffective. Products that use active biological


components can also lose potency over time. One example is enzymes in clean- ing chemistry formulations, which can decline and lose effectiveness against their targeted soils. Another example is bacterial endospores in biological indicators, which can weaken or die as they age. Without strong bacterial spores to challenge the sterilizer, the sterilization process may test as “acceptable” but actually be failing to deliver the required kill level, resulting in potential undetected infectious material remaining on the devices after the steriliza- tion process completes. Many expiration dates are assigned at the


time of production by the manufacturer. There are also dates assigned by the sterile processing technician, either when the item is opened or after it has been processed. Technicians must understand when expi- ration dates are assigned, which are their responsibility, and where they can fi nd the expiration date for every item in the department. Identifying expiration dates requires an understanding of the types and terms for all relevant expiration dates. • Expiration or expiry date: This date is assigned at the time of manufacture. Typically, it is the last day the item


38 September 2022 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS • hpnonline.com


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