36C24219R0002-010.pdf

Department of

Veterans Affairs

Date: f EB 1 1 2016

Memorandum

From: Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health Operations and Management (1 ON) subj: Pre-treatment and Transportation of Soiled Critical and Semi-Critical Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) ro: VISN Directors, VISN CMOs, VISN QMOs, VISN Nurse Executives, VISN Sterile

Processing Boards

1. This memorandum is to improve current processes for pre-t transportation of soiled RME from the point of use to a econtamination area in accordance with professional practice standards.

2. Pre-Treatment:

a. Responsibility of end user

b. Manufacturer's Instructions for Use (IFUs) must be followed

c. Removal of all gross debris must occur prior to application of enzymatic solution

d. Use of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pretreatment enzymatic solution (Note: If IFUs delineate specific validated solution, said solution must be used)

e. Thoroughly spray enzymatic solution directly onto instruments to be cleaned allowing for each instrument to remain covered to dissolve bioburden.

f. Application of enzymatic solution is to be done immediately following

RME use. This can occur at point of care or within soiled utility room.

3. Transport of RME from point of care to soiled utility/appropriate holding area:

a. Properly labeled medical grade puncture resistant biohazard rigid container or an enclosed cart is to be used to transport all RME

b. Two methods:

i. Exchange transport container - the container with the soiled RME is placed in the utility room and a clean container (which has been intermediate level disinfected between uses) acquired from clean storage is taken back to the point of use.

ii. Point of use transport container - the container with soiled RME at point of care is transported to soiled utility room where end user will don appropriate PPE to transfer soiled RME to designated collection container that is a properly labeled medical grade puncture resistant biohazard rigid container. The point of care

D.15 PRE-TREATMENT AND TRANSPORTATION OF SOILED CRITICAL AND SEMI-

CRITICAL REUSEABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT