Rule 4723-20-04 | Disinfection and sterilization.
An instrument or other reusable equipment used by a licensee or certificate holder who performs or participates in an exposure-prone activity shall be appropriately disinfected and sterilized according to acceptable and prevailing standards for disinfection and sterilization which shall include at least the following:
(A) Single use items used in treating a patient, which have become contaminated by blood or other body fluids, shall be discarded and not reused, unless sterilized and reused in accordance with current guidelines established by the FDA. Single use items being reused in treating a patient shall be adequately cleaned and sterilized. Single use items shall not be reused if the item's physical characteristics and quality have been adversely affected or if the items are incapable of being reused safely and effectively for their intended use;
(B) Equipment and devices that enter a normally sterile area of the body shall be sterilized before being used for each patient;
(C) Equipment and devices that touch an intact mucous membrane but do not penetrate the patient's body surfaces shall be sterilized when possible, or undergo high-level disinfection if the equipment or device cannot be sterilized before being used for each patient;
(D) A licensee or certificate holder shall use aseptic technique, as appropriate.
Last updated October 2, 2023 at 1:52 PM
Supplemental Information