EFHSS Questions and Answers - Question Q00040

When documenting the temp on the autoclave are we to record the highest or the lowest temp?

Good day Marcy,

I don't know any regulations or recommendations for this. At my institution, I have my staff document the last temperature of the sterilization portion of the cycle while verifying that the entire sterilization portion of the cycle was above the minimum required temperature.
If I was chosing between using the highest or lowest temperature, I would chose the lowest temperature, as this will tell you if the entire sterilization portion of the cycle was above the minimum temperature selected.
Because the death rate of micoorganisms doubles with every 10o C increase in temperature, any increase of the temperature over the minimum required temperature will increase the effectivness of the sterilization process. Therefore, the lowest temperature will give you the most critical information in monitoring that sterilization parameters have been met.

Regards, Pete Bobb