Cleaning and disinfection of benches in the preparation room of the sterilization center:

an experimental study

Abstract

Introduction: The preparation room of the sterilization centers is intended for the handling of healthcare products coming from the decontamination area. In this area, the process of cleaning and disinfecting the countertops in the preparation room impacts the prevention of Healthcare-Associated Infections. Objective: To verify the quality of cleaning and disinfection of countertops located in the preparation room of a materials and sterilization center. Material and methods: An experimental study carried out in the preparation room of a material and sterilization center at a public hospital located in Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil. Ten random points were selected on two benches and soon after, the following evaluation methods were performed: visual inspection, protein test, fluorescence and microbiological analysis. Results: The evaluation of the benches after cleaning and disinfection obtained satisfactory values, with compliance ranging from 90% to 100%. There was a high number of Colony Forming Units found, and after disinfection, none. Microbiological analysis showed growth of Micrococcus luteus (28.6%), representatives of coagulase negative Staphylococcus (CNS) such as Staphylococcus capitis (14.3%), Staphylococcus caprae (14.3%) and Staphylococcus urealyticus (14.3%), Acinetobacter lwoffii (14.3%) and Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus (14.3%). Conclusion: The cleaning and disinfection of countertops in the materials and sterilization center showed satisfactory values, which strengthened the importance of this procedure for reducing microorganisms on surfaces.