What is the procedure for non-critical items that may contact patients?

Non-critical items are those that come into contact with intact skin but do not penetrate mucous membranes or sterile areas. While they do not pose as high a risk of infection transmission as semi-critical or critical items, they still require appropriate processing to minimize the risk of cross-contamination.

Cleaning and disinfecting non-critical items after each use is crucial because it reduces the potential spread of pathogens. Cleaning involves removing organic material and debris, which should always be done first to enhance the effectiveness of disinfectants. Following this, the item must be disinfected using an appropriate disinfectant to eliminate any remaining microorganisms. This two-step process ensures that any potential pathogens are addressed and that the items can safely be reused on multiple patients.

Discarding these items after each use or reusing them without cleaning would not adequately protect against infection. Similarly, simply cleaning these items without disinfecting would leave them susceptible to harboring pathogens, thus posing a higher risk for subsequent patients. Therefore, the best practice is to thoroughly clean and disinfect non-critical items after each use.