General Catalogue 2023 DIGITAL

223 3. Instrument storage Even if all microorganisms have been destroyed by the sterilisation, there is a danger of recontamination as soon as the autoclave is opened - if the instruments have not been individually packed. The frequently practised process of sterilising instruments prior to leaving work at the end of the day and then leaving the instruments to cool down overnight can cause recontamination. Hence it is essential to remove the instruments directly after the sterilisation procedure and to store them in a sterile location. If the sterilisation process is carried out in closed sterilisation cas- settes (accessories for the autoclaves), these are removed from the device and simply put away to cool down in a location that is protected from sunlight and draughts. Unopened, the cassettes will then keep their contents sterile for up to six weeks – although of course the cassette is not available for this period. Alternatively the storage of the sterilised instruments in a UV compartment (component of almost all Gerlach foot care cabinets) is especially practical and saves time and costs. After the sterilisation, you can take the instruments out of the hot air steriliser and lay them directly into the UV compartment. The instruments cool down in the UV compartment, where they remain germ-free until they are used again. Two or three plastic trays are at your disposal for the storage. The use of several trays at the same time will guarantee smooth operations under sterile conditions: • The first instrument set is ready to be used to treat feet directly at your work place. • A second set of instruments is stored under sterile conditions to be cooled in the UV compartment. • And a third set of instruments can be sterilised in the meantime. This division of work puts you in the position to treat all your patients under optimal hygienic conditions. You should not hide your hygiene competence from your customers – quite the opposite. Carry out rou- tine measures quite deliberately so that the customer is also aware of them. A high standard of hygiene and health protection is expected by every client, particularly in relation to bodily interventions. Who- ever feels well cared for in this respect will make a new appointment in your practice and recommend you to others. Note: As a foot care professional, you are obligated to document the entire hy- giene process in your foot care practice with a hygiene plan. It must clearly define every process step. In addition to the hygiene plan, the individual sterilisation processes must be documented. A gap-free and long term as well as time saving recording option is provided by good PC programs as they are available e.g. for the autoclave MELAtronic 15 EN+. The highest legal basis for these duties is formed by the Infectious Diseases Act (Infektionsschutzgesetz = IfSG) as well as the guidelines of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for the prevention, detection and prevention of spread of transmissible diseases. The „Requirements for hygiene when processing medical devices“ particularly apply to foot care practices. This recommen- dation was published by the RKI and the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices. You can order our cleaning and disinfection plan to hang up in your practice, free of charge. Order No. 720 902 803 (Available in German language only.) H Y G I E N E You can find our recommendation for a cleaning and disinfection plan for your practice on our website in German language. HYGIENE