Is it okay to leave medical tools in a bucket of hot water as a way to sterilize?
Discount Medical Scrubs
I work for a gynocologist, and we use speculums and other medical tools - I'm usually in charge of sterilizing them. After we're finished with a patient, I immidiately wash/scrub any blood or body fluids off the medical tools and then sterilize them in the autoclave. However, my office manager does something different. She puts all the used speculums in a bucket of hot water and lets it sit for a few hourse, scrub and then place them in the autoclave. Is this safe? She's not a nurse, never attended nursing school,and only handles the accounting and sometimes I don't think she knows what she's doing.
Tags: accounting, autoclave, body fluids, discount medical, gynocologist, hot water, hourse, medical tools, Nurse, Nursing School, speculums
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
In veterinary college, we were taught to wash all instruments with disinfecting solution, rinse well, and put in the autoclave. As long as they are scrubbed well before you put them in the autoclave, it should be ok. Double check with the doctor…
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
basically you both are doing the same thing she just uses hot water instead and has a longer way of cleaning them. as long as there being sterilized then its fine.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
It is OK as long as any material is removed prior to auto claving.She puts them in a bucket of water to prevent anything for getting "stuck"on.. I fit really bugs you ask the doc how he/she wants it done.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
as long as an autoclave is used, the prior examples are fine.
the autoclave is what really gets the job done.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
it’s only dangerous if you don’t put it in the autoclave.
If she’s just doin the bucket of water then that is disgusting and dangerous.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
Some bugs can survive after 20min of boiling water. the autoclave doe’s the right job with clean instruments.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
I was a medical assistant for OB/Gyn’s for several years, and in a busy practice, there isn’t time to take a metal speculum out of the exam room immediately after use, wash it right away and autoclave it individually.
Normally, used specs are placed in a bucket of sudsy water in a cabinet under the sink in the exam room, then they are gathered up at regular intervals (once a day or more often depending on the patient volume and how many specula the practice owns), then they are washed, scrubbed, and placed in the autoclave in batches. It’s much more practical to scrub and sterilize several medical instruments together.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
what she’s doing is fine—the instruments will still be sterile.
I don’t know if it will affect the lifespan of the instruments to leave them in water so long–ask your boss.
Stainless steel is rust resistant, not rustproof.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
If an autoclave is an acceptable means of sterilization (I’m no expert), then I would think that adding extra steps beforehand – as long as she uses the autoclave properly – wouldn’t hurt, but please ask someone on-site who would know.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
No i think you should always soak them with bleach as it kills all germs and viruses.My mom died in a hospital as she went to get a cyst lanced on her stomach.Well that night she caught sars as they too did not clean with bleach or disin fected..My mom died a horrible 2 week death which could of been avoided if the hospital would of been doing their cleaning of tools and hand s right.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
A potential problem with both your techniques is that someone washes these instruments that could have infectious materials on them … without killing them first. From a strictly safety point of view, they should be placed in an automatic disinfecting and rinsing wash machine first, then autoclaved. The person handling these contaminated items could be exposed to herpesvirus, papillomavirus, chlamydia, gonorrhea or many other potentially dangerous critters during the washing process. What if it splashes in your eye or gets in a cut?
Hot water does not stay hot very long and may not ever be hot enough to kill some microbes.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
try mixing a half cup of clorox in the water, that the tools are soaking in, then rinse off, then the autoclave.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
Used specula are covered with vaginal fluids which, like all body fluids, are protein-based. Heat (hot water) solidifies proteins. A fried egg is one example of this. Cold water would far better for cleaning. To answer your first question, water, either hot or cold, is NOT a means of sterilization in any event. Ideally, instruments should be rinsed in cold water, scrubbed, left to soak in a cleaning solution, rinsed again, air-dried, bagged and autoclaved.
The office manager shouldn’t be handling instruments. That should be left to you medical assistants. You’ve been taught how to do this properly. If time is a factor – and it often is – the solution soak step could be omitted as long as the scrub is thoroughly done but this could still be risky. But the instruments must be air-dried before bagging for autoclave. The purchase of additional specula in all sizes could be considered to prevent the need for shortcuts.
In the end, what’s your priority? The safety of your patients or your convenience? Speak to your officer manager and tell her that while you appreciate her pitching in to help, diplomatically ask that she leave this to you.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
GAH no! I don’t think that is proper sterilization at all. Although I guess if she’s putting them in the autoclave after soaking them, they’ll be clean…But still…They’re sitting in a stew of germs beforehand. Germs love warm water.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
No, that does not sterilize them. It may to a certain extent, but what you are doing is a better way.
That doesn’t sound good.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
Actually if you both are using gloves and are not exposing yourself to the speculums or the water and are very careful while washing them it’s ok either way because the autoclaving kills all the germs.
However, I would put them into a bleach solution before handling them because bleach kills most viruses, aids and bacteria, if it’s 10% bleach and left for at least10 minutes. That is a real good reason to soak and it would protect you both from any diseases while washing them. Miss Mary
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
As long as both are sterilized in the autoclave, it should be fine. Her method actually may be more effective, as hot water, at the right temp, will actually sterilize some items.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
The only way to STERILIZE is with an autoclave.