Water

[bonbon]

Do most Sterile Processing Departments use Deoinized water for the final rinse in their decontamination washers? Has AMMI issued any new guidelines about this in the last year?
Presently we use a soft water system with no problems of staining or spotting.
Thanks for your input in advance.

[barry govenor]

"Soft" water is not deionized water. It is water from which a majority of minerals has been removed. As such, it will spot less and clean better. However, it still carries a charge that [B]may[B]cause some foreign metal bonding to your instruments. Your instruments seem to have escaped this fate as you report no "spots" (discoloration ) that would indicate that such bonding has taken place.

As many of our protocols, when first instituted, have errored on the side of caution, the water you are using [B]may[B]be fine. I would be very diligent, however, in keeping an eye on all instruments to be sure no discoloration (metallic bonding) has taken place.

Keep in mind, also, that any instrument that carries a charge on it may bond with a fluid or other substance in the patient.

I know this isn't a definitive answer but am recalling what I've read or heard as best I can without having done any further research.