Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. Any individual involved in reprocessing of medical devices must be properly trained and their practice audited on a regular basis to verify that standards are met. Training will include information on cleaning, disinfection and sterilization, occupational health and safety issues, and infection prevention and control. The goals of safe reprocessing of medical equipment/devices include: • Preventing transmission of microorganisms to personnel and clients/patients/residents; • Minimizing damage to medical equipment/devices from foreign material (e.g. blood, body fluids, saline and medications) or inappropriate handling. Best practices in reprocessing medical equipment/devices must include the following: • A Agency strategy for dealing with single-use medical equipment/devices; • Adequate review by all parties whenever manufactory, physician, patient • Training of all staff who do reprocessing; • Validation, Documentation of cleanliness, sterility and function of the reprocessed equipment/device; • Continual monitoring of reprocessing procedures to ensure their quality. Do not reprocess equipments: Needles must be single-use and must not be reprocessed. Sharps are devices that can cause occupational injury to a worker. Some examples of sharps which cannot be safely cleaned include needles, lancets, blades and glass. Reprocessing needles is an occupational health hazard. Further, reprocessing needles is a patient safety issue as there is no guarantee that the lumen is clean and that the reprocessing is effective. Catheters, drains and other medical equipment/devices with small lumens (excluding endoscopy equipment) be designated single-use and not be reprocessed and reused. Home Health Agency Nursing Care & Procedures K-180