Tech in Surgery Prep / Unit 6 TSC 129 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Why Bioburden Matters
Captions available
The idea
Bioburden is the number of microorganisms on an item, and cleaning reduces it before sterilization.
In practice
Microbes die at a steady logarithmic rate under a sterilizing process, so a heavier load of microbes takes longer to eliminate than a lighter one.
Where people slip
Dried blood and tissue make cleaning harder, which is why soiled instruments are kept moist and cleaned as soon as possible.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
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