Why is sterilizer monitoring necessary? What types of sterilizer monitoring are available? Why use a sterilizer monitoring service? What is the difference between a one-strip and a two-strip test? What can cause a positive test?
In a one-strip test, the test strip is placed in the center of your autoclave, on top of or to the side of, your instruments. The control strip should remain in the envelope and must not be placed in the sterilizer.
For the two-strip test, the center test strip from the middle test kit pocket is placed in the center of your autoclave, on top of or to the side of, your instruments. The random test strip from the right end pocket of your test envelope is placed in the location most difficult to sterilize, usually a top or bottom corner. Alternatively, you can place each of the strips in two different sterilizers. Again, the control strip must not be placed in the sterilizer.