Setting Up Your Sterilisation Workflow
Configuring Sterilisation Components
Settings > (Brand) Sterilisation
Navigate to the sterilisation settings page to set up your practice's sterilisation machines, cycles, and pack types.
Sterilisation Machine Setup
Click 'Add Machine' and fill out the required details for each Sterilisation machine or Autoclave that exists within your practice:
ID can be left blank to use the name of the machine as the identifier.
Create a Name for the machine.
Create a Description of the machine (optional)
Select a Location (Practice) for the machine (Applicable for multi practice workspaces)
Sterilisation Cycle Type Setup
Click 'Add Cycle Type' and enter the details of each type of sterilisation cycle your sterilisation machines will run:
Name the Cycle type.
Create a Description for the Cycle type (Optional).
Mark whether this Cycle type is a Test Cycle or not using the check box.
Equipment, Instruments & Packs
Each type of reusable instrument needs to be created in Principle before they can be organised into common pack types:
Click 'Add Equipment' to create each individual instrument which may need to be included in an equipment pack for sterilisation.
Pack Management
Sterilisation Packs are comprised of the individual instruments they contain. Click 'Add Pack' to create a new pack type and edit its contents:
Create a Name for the Pack type.
Add the Equipment included in this Pack Type. Multiple of the same item can be added to each pack.
Click the + icon to create a new row for additional equipment types.
Create a Description for the Pack type (Optional).
Each pack type created here will be available for selection when creating Sterilisation Records. During
Entering Sterilisation Cycles and Records
Main Menu > (Operations) Sterilisation
Once the setup of Sterilisation Machines, Equipment, and Pack Types has been completed, Cycles and Individual Records can be recorded from the Sterilisation page under the Operations heading of the main menu.
Cycles refer to actual Sterilisation cycles of the Autoclave. These can include Test Cycles to ensure normal operation of your Sterilisation machines or regular Cycles where equipment and preconfigured packs are Sterilised for use within the practice.
Records refer to the individual Packs of equipment or instruments that get Sterilised within each Cycle. Records are added to Cycles and will inherit the Status of that Cycle once complete (Passed/Failed). These Records can then be scanned upon use and connected to the patient and appointment to ensure comprehensive tracking from sterilisation to use.
Cycle Tracking and Documentation
From the Sterilisation Tracking page, click 'Add Cycle' to create a new Cycle of a Sterilisation machine.
Choose the Sterilisation Machine in use from the drop down.
The Cycle ID will automatically increment from the previous Cycle or can be edited here.
Run Date and Time will default to the time of creation but can be edited to reflect a run that may have been completed earlier.
Choose the Cycle Type from the list of pre-configured options.
The Selected Staffer will default to the person creating the record but can be edited from the dropdown menu.
Add any Notes that need to be recorded alongside the Cycle
Once created, the new Cycle will begin with a 'Pending' status. Records and images can now be added to this Cycle to track which instruments are to be sterilised within the Cycle.
Adding Sterilisation Records to Cycles
Once a Cycle has been created, click 'Add Records To This Cycle' to start adding Packs to be sterilised within this Cycle.
Use the Barcode Scanner icon toggle to switch between manual or scanner entry.
Enter the Sterilisation Record ID here.
Change the Staff Member recording the sterilisation record (defaults to user login).
Select the Pack Type from the list of preconfigured Equipment Packs.
Change the Quantity of Instruments included in the Pack being scanned in.
Records entered into the Cycle will be listed here.
Use the menu icon to Edit the Record once entered.
Once all the Records/Packs to be sterilised have been entered into the Cycle, Click 'Done' to confirm.
Once the Cycle is complete, it can be marked as Passed or Failed from the Cycle menu:
All Records within the Cycle will inherit the Status of the Cycle (Passed/Failed).
Images can be uploaded or taken directly via a connected camera and added to Cycles for comprehensive documentation and compliance tracking.
Sterilisation Tracking During Appointments
Any Packs used during an appointment can be scanned or entered to associate the patient with the Record used.
In the appointment, under the Today's Appointment heading, click the three dots menu.
Click Add Sterilisation Records.
When entering records during an appointment, there are various icons which will give you information about that record.
A Record entered from a previously 'Passed' Cycle will be marked with a tick.
A Record entered from a 'Failed' Cycle will be marked with a warning symbol.
A Record entered that does not correspond to any previously sterilised record.
Enter new records here, use the barcode scanner toggle to toggle to manual mode.
The patient to be associated with the record.
The Staff Member creating the Record.
Tracking Sterilisation Records From the Patient Profile
Within each Patient Profile, Sterilisation Records associated with that patient from past appointments will be visible in the Sterilisation Tab.
Tracking Sterilisation Records
The Sterilisation Tracking page allows for detailed searching and filtering of past records.
Cycles can be filtered by Cycle ID or by the staff member responsible.
Records can be filtered by Records can be filtered by Cycle ID, Record ID, Patient, Staffer or Pack Type.
Use the predefined date range or date selector to further refine your search.
Records can also be filtered by whether or not they have been allocated to a cycle or whether or not they have been allocated to a patient/appointment.
