Question

The process of cleaning and scrubbing instruments and equipment, generally by washing with detergents and scrubbing as needed is sterilization?

True
False

Answer 1

The described process of washing with detergents and scrubbing is a cleaning process, not sterilization. Sterilization requires more rigorous methods to eliminate all forms of microbial life from an item or environment. Therefore, the statement is false.

Step-by-step explanation:

The process of cleaning and scrubbing instruments and equipment, generally by washing with detergents and scrubbing as needed, is not sterilization. This process is part of cleaning or sanitizing which reduces the number of microorganisms to safe levels but does not necessarily eliminate all of them. Sterilization, on the other hand, is the complete removal or killing of all vegetative cells, endospores, and viruses from the targeted item or environment. Sterilization can involve the use of high heat, pressure, or filtration, and is commonly reserved for laboratory, medical, and food industry settings where completely microbe-free environments are necessary.

Considering the provided information, the statement is False as the described process does not ensure that all forms of microbial life, including spores, are eliminated, which is required for an item to be considered sterile.

Answer 2

The process described is not sterilization, but cleaning or decontamination. The statement is False. Sterilization is a more intensive process that removes or kills all forms of microbial life.

Step-by-step explanation:

The process of cleaning and scrubbing instruments and equipment, generally by washing with detergents and scrubbing as needed, is not sterilization, but rather a preliminary step called cleaning or decontamination. Sterilization is a more rigorous process of removing or killing all forms of microbial life, including bacteria, viruses, spores, and fungi, usually by applying heat, chemicals, irradiation, high pressure, or filtration. Cleaning simply reduces the microbial load, making items safe to handle, but does not necessarily eliminate all forms of microbes, which is the requirement for sterilization.

The statement in the question is therefore False. Sterilization protocols, as opposed to simple cleaning, might be both impractical and potentially harmful if applied to all items we come in contact with, due to their intensive nature and potential to damage the items or produce toxic effects. Hence, the chosen method to ensure an item is "clean enough" depends on its intended use.