Bridging Theory and Practice in Sterilization of Healthcare Facilities

Arvin Rahmanpour

doi:10.11910/j.issn.2791-2043.2026.3.03

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Bridging Theory and Practice in Sterilization of Healthcare Facilities

REVIEW ARTICLES | Updated：2026-10-27

- Bridging Theory and Practice in Sterilization of Healthcare Facilities
- Sterile Supply Vol. 5, Issue 3, (2026)
- Affiliations：
  
  Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
- Author bio：
  
  Arvin Rahmanpour at Rahmanpour_arvin@yahoo.com
- Funds：
- DOI：10.11910/j.issn.2791-2043.2026.3.03
  CLC：
- Published：30 September 2026
- Accepted：
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Rahmanpour Arvin.Bridging Theory and Practice in Sterilization of Healthcare Facilities[J].Sterile Supply,2026,05(03):169-173.
DOI：

Rahmanpour Arvin.Bridging Theory and Practice in Sterilization of Healthcare Facilities[J].Sterile Supply,2026,05(03):169-173. DOI： 10.11910/j.issn.2791-2043.2026.3.03.

摘要

Abstract

Background

The sterilization of medical instruments is essential for infection prevention and maintaining healthcare quality. Despite comprehensive international guidelines

there are gaps between recommended standards and real-world practices.

Aim

This narrative review evaluates discrepancies between sterilization guidelines and actual implementation

identifies contributing factors

and presents evidence-based strategies to bridge these gaps.

Methods

A narrative review with analytical synthesis was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE

Scopus

Web of Science

and Google Scholar. Literature published from January 2000 through December 2025 was retrieved. Search concepts covered sterilization

sterile processing/CSSD

infection prevention and control

guideline adherence

implementation gaps

monitoring

quality improvement

and healthcare-associated infections. Peer-reviewed studies

review articles

international standards

and guideline documents relevant to sterilization practice were included. The search strategy and database-specific search strings are provided in Appendix A. Evidence was synthesized narratively across knowledge

implementation

and systemic domains.

Results

The updated evidence continued to demonstrate gaps between recommended sterilization standards and routine practice

particularly in cleaning

preparation

packaging

monitoring

traceability

and quality assurance. Recent evidence in 2025 further identified implementation gaps and demonstrated the potential value of structured quality-improvement approaches

competency-focused interventions

and updated professional guidance.

Conclusions

Bridging the gap between theory and practice requires integrated technical

educational

organizational

and quality-assurance interventions. Updated 2025 guidance and studies reinforce the importance of standardized workflows

competency-based training

monitoring and traceability

adherence to manufacturers’ instructions for use

and leadership-supported quality improvement.

关键词

Keywords

references

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008 . Atlanta, GA : CDC; updated web presentation 2023 .

Rutala WA , Weber DJ . Disinfection and sterilization: an overview . Am J Infect Control . 2013 ; 41 (5 Suppl ): S2 - S5 . doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2012.11.005 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2012.11.005 .

Rutala WA , Weber DJ . Disinfection and sterilization in health care facilities: an overview and current issues . Infect Dis Clin North Am . 2016 ; 30 ( 3 ): 609 - 637 . doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2016.04.002 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.idc.2016.04.002 .

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Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) . ANSI/AAMI ST79:2017/(R)2022 with amendments A1: 2020, A2: 2020, A3: 2020 , A4 : 2020 . Comprehensive guide to steam sterilization and sterility assurance in health care facilities. AAMI ; 2022 .

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) . ISO 13485 : 2016 . Medical devices—Quality management systems—Requirements for regulatory purposes . Geneva : ISO ; 2016 .

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Speth J . Guidelines in Practice: Sterilization . AORN J . 2025 ; 121 ( 4 ): 280 - 289 . doi: 10.1002/aorn.14316 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aorn.14316 .

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Seto WH , Ching PTY . Surgical implant sterilization in the Asia-Pacific region: a survey of current practices . Infect Dis Health . 2025 . doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2025.02.006 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.idh.2025.02.006 . Epub 2025 Mar 27 .

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Surabhi S , Singh B . Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Sterilization Among Healthcare Workers at a Tertiary Care Hospital of Jharkhand: A Cross-Sectional Study . Cureus . 2025 ; 17 ( 10 ): e95275 . doi: 10.7759/cureus.95275 http://dx.doi.org/10.7759/cureus.95275 .

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