How to Sanitize Medical Equipment

The Centers for Disease Control divides medical equipment into three groups according to the degree of infection risk associated with each: Critical, semicritical and noncritical, with each group having its own sanitation guidelines. Critical items confer a high risk for infection if contaminated and include objects that enter sterile tissue or the vascular system, such as surgical instruments. These items must be sterilized. Semicritical items contact mucous membranes or nonintact skin and require high-level disinfection. Noncritical items come into contact with intact skin but not mucous membranes and include blood pressure cuffs. These items require only low-level disinfection.

Things You'll Need

• Protective gear: gloves, eyewear, respiratory mask, gown
• Manufacturer-recommended cleaning materials: detergent, disinfectants, germicides, brushes, solvents
• Alcohol
• Forced-air dryer
• Manufacturer guidelines

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Instructions

Critical Items

• 1

  Consult the medical equipment manufacturer's recommendations. Critical items must be free from all microorganisms and endospores; therefore they must be sterilized. Equipment manufacturers typically have sterilization guidelines specifically designed for their devices.

• 2

  Put on gloves, mask, protective eyewear and a gown to avoid exposing yourself to contaminated equipment.

• 3

  Disassemble the medical device. Wipe it down with manufacturer-approved detergent and cloth as soon as possible. Hardened biomaterial may inactivate enzymatic detergents and prevent complete disinfection.

• 4

  Place appropriately diluted detergent in a basin measuring at least 16 in. by 8 in. Place equipment in the basin and cover completely with water. Soak according to manufacturer's guideines. Failure to soak long enough may prevent elimination of all contamination; however, failure to remove the device promptly may lead to damage. Rinse throroughly with fresh water. Residual detergent may

  inhibit the disinfectant or sterilant solution.

• 5

  Disinfect and sterilize the equipment with an FDA-cleared high-level disinfectant according to manufacturer's instructions. The exposure time and temperature varies among manufacturers. Some equipment will require steam or ultrasonic sterilization.

• 6

  Rinse the equipment with sterile, filtered or tap water to remove disinfectant. Discard rinse water. Failure to thoroughly rinse the disinfectant can result in adverse reactions in patients and potentially anaphylaxis.

• 7

  Dry using forced air before storing. This greatly reduces the possibility of recontamination by waterborne microorganisms.

Semicritical Items

• 8

  Manually remove all visible organic matter using manufacturer-approved detergent and cloth. Clean equipment using water and enzymatic solutions that are appropriate for use on instruments as stated in the manufacturer's guidelines. Rinse thoroughly and discard water.

• 9

  Obtain manufacturer recommended disinfectant. Semicritical items require high-level disinfection using an FDA-approved chemical disinfectants such as glutaraldehyde or ortho-phthalaldehyde though manufacturer guidelines must be followed to ensure proper disinfection without harming equipment. High-level disinfection traditionally is defined as complete elimination of all microorganisms, except for small numbers of bacterial spores.

• 10

  Follow manufacturer's directions for use of disinfectant. High-level disinfection is typically achieved with a soaking time of at least 20 minutes in a room-temperature solution of an FDA-approved disinfectant.

• 11

  Remove instruments from solution and rinse thoroughly with sterile or tap water. The quality of the rinse water used is dependant on the intended use of the instrument. Follow with an alcohol rinse for equipment that will have contact with mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract

• 12

  Dry equipment according to manufacturer's instructions. Equipment should be used immediately or stored in a manner to minimize recontamination.

Noncritical Items

• 13

  Obtain an EPA-registered germicide as specified by the manufacturer and/or institution using the equipment. Low-level disinfection removes pathogenic microorganisms from objects so they are safe to handle, use or discard.

• 14

  Disinfect noncritical medical devices (e.g., blood pressure cuff) with an EPA-registered hospital

  disinfectant using the label's safety precautions and use directions. By law, all applicable label instructions on EPA-registered products must be followed.

• 15

  Ensure that, at a minimum, noncritical patient-care devices are disinfected when visibly soiled

  and on a regular basis. If dedicated, disposable devices are not available, disinfect noncritical patient-care equipment after using it on a patient who is infectious.