Final answer:
A non-critical infectious instrument is one that can transmit infections but is not critical for patient care, such as bed linens and blood pressure cuffs. They only need to be clean as they contact intact skin and pose a lesser infection risk. Differences exist between iatrogenic and nosocomial diseases, with the former caused by medical procedures and the latter acquired in hospitals.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question 'What best describes a non-critical infectious instrument?' refers to noncritical items in medical settings. The correct answer is: An instrument that can transmit infections but is not critical for patient care. Noncritical infectious instruments are items that come into contact with intact skin but do not penetrate sterile tissues or mucous membranes. Such items include bed linens, furniture, crutches, stethoscopes, and blood pressure cuffs. They need to be clean but do not require high-level disinfection or sterilization since they pose a lesser risk of infection transmission as compared to critical and semicritical instruments.
As for how a disease can be infectious but not contagious, such diseases can be transmitted through non-person-to-person methods, like contact with contaminated surfaces or via animal vectors, whereas contagious diseases are easily transmitted from one person to another. Iatrogenic diseases are those caused by medical treatment or procedures, while nosocomial diseases are hospital-acquired infections.
For the fill in the blank question, the answer would be a noncritical item.
When considering sterilization requirements, critical items due to their use in sterile environment and potential contact with the bloodstream or internal tissues, must be sterilized.