Question

Your office manager told you that you must create an office policy and procedures manual on sanitization and sterilization methods. List the various points that you should include in the manual. Provide a rationale to share with your manager explaining why you chose the points that you did.

Answer 1

The level of disinfection and sterilization depend on its previous usage and its next intended use.

Items are classified in to 3 categories

Critical items: Are the instruments or items used for invasive procedures like catheters and tubes,surgical instruments should always used from their sterile packets or that should be steam sterilized, if the items are heat sensitive it should be treated with liquid chemical sterilants

Rationale: to prevent from microbial contamination and disease transmission

Semi critical items: which are in contact with mucus membranes and non intact skin should be washed and rinsed with water and again it should be alcohol rinsed or kept in disinfect solutions for the required time and than dried and stored without contamination

Rationale: to keep the items free from micro organisms

Non critical items: which are those in contact with intact skin and non mucus membrane like bed pans, lenins, BP cuffs, bed rails, crutches, bedside tables, floor should be disinfected to prevent secondary transmission of disease