Final answer:
The level of decontamination required wherever blood is regularly drawn depends on the risk of blood loss and the potential pathogens present. Critical items that come into contact with sterile tissues should be sterilized, while semicritical items should undergo high-level disinfection. Noncritical items can be cleaned with general cleanliness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The level of decontamination required wherever blood is regularly drawn depends on the risk of blood loss and the potential pathogens present. Generally, a high level of cleanliness is required to prevent the transmission of infectious agents. Critical items that come into contact with sterile tissues, such as needles and syringes, should be sterilized. Semicritical items that come into contact with mucous membranes, such as blood collection tubes, should undergo high-level disinfection. Noncritical items that come into contact with intact skin, such as tourniquets, can be cleaned with general cleanliness.