Final answer:
Critical items used in medical settings must be sterilized and properly labeled for safety after each use. Different protocols apply depending on whether items are critical, semicritical, or noncritical. These protocols are often determined by regulatory bodies like the FDA.
Step-by-step explanation:
Critical instruments, items, and devices shall be sterilized or pre-cleaned, packaged or sealed, and labeled after each use. The type of protocol required to achieve the desired level of cleanliness depends on the item's category, which are critical, semicritical, and noncritical. Critical items must be sterile because they are utilized inside the body, often penetrating sterile tissues or the bloodstream, such as surgical instruments, catheters, and intravenous fluids. On the other hand, semicritical items, such as gastrointestinal endoscopes and various equipment for respiratory therapies, may contact mucous membranes or nonintact skin but do not penetrate tissues, and so they require a high level of disinfection rather than sterilization. Noncritical items like bed linens or crutches need to be clean but not necessarily highly disinfected.
Protocols for cleaning or sterilizing medical equipment are often developed by entities such as the FDA and followed by medical device manufacturers; ultimately, healthcare providers are responsible for strictly adhering to these procedures to prevent patient infections. Due to the critical nature of properly handling and cleaning medical equipment, the appropriate protective wear such as coats, face protection, and cut-resistant gloves along with proper hygiene practices are also essential components of preventing the spread of infection.