1231 CE Online (1)

Disinfection Prior to Assembly or Clean Storage Manual decontamination removes some bacterial contamination, but not all. For safe handling, your hospital may use a chemical disinfectant to manually or machine-disinfect the endoscope prior to transfer to assembly or clean storage. If your hospital uses a chemical to manually or machine-disinfect the endoscope, consult the manufacturers’ instructions for both the endoscope and chemical for the best method of use. Be sure to include an additional rinse and dry cycle following chemical disinfection. Always attach a label to the disinfected endoscope to document the pertinent disinfection information before transferring the endoscope for clean storage. An automatic washer-disinfector (AWD) may be used for rigid endoscopes that are heat- stable. Endoscopes need to be secured in a special basket to ensure the endoscope’s surfaces and channels are safely processed during a cycle in the AWD. Consult the endoscope manufacturer’s instructions to ensure your rigid endoscope can be processed with the AWD at your facility. Inspection and Drying Prior to Assembly The endoscope is now ready for inspection prior to assembly into a tray or placement in clean storage if this is the hospital’s practice. Ensure the scope is completely free of debris and is dry, especially the channels. Residual water can act as a bacterial breeding ground if left in the endoscope’s channels. To facilitate drying, flush the channels with 70 to 80% alcohol and follow with filtered/ compressed air. Dry the outside of the endoscope with a soft cloth. A drying cabinet also can be used to dry the endoscope. Use the protocols and prescribed materials from your hospital to perform random or routine quality checks for cleanliness of the endoscope Check the endoscope’s exterior surface and objective lens for scratches, dents, burns, or other damage before assembly into a tray. Check the endoscope for image clarity by performing the following steps. 1. Hold the endoscope about three inches from a non-glare printed page. 2. Move the endoscope toward the page until it is almost one-quarter inch away from the surface of the page. 3. Verify that the image is clear and sharp, without any distortion. Discoloration or haziness may be due to improper cleaning, rinsing, and moisture within the endoscope, or due to a broken optical lens or misaligned optics. and channels to ensure they are clean and dry. Inspection for Damage and Visual Quality

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