An evidence-based process for evaluating infection control policies.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare policy
• Infection prevention and control
• Medical equipment reprocessing

Background:

• Noncritical equipment requires appropriate decontamination to prevent healthcare-associated infections.
• Existing policies for noncritical equipment decontamination may lack standardized, evidence-based criteria.
• Evaluating the appropriateness of decontamination policies is crucial for patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and describe evidence-based criteria for evaluating the appropriateness of decontamination policies for noncritical equipment.
• To establish a framework for assessing the quality and effectiveness of disinfection protocols.

Main Methods:

• An integrated literature review was conducted, utilizing the Stetler Research Utilization Model and Bibb-Wanzer strategy.
• A confirmatory search and document review process facilitated data extraction.
• Manifest content analysis was employed for data synthesis.

Main Results:

• Five major evidence-based criteria for disinfecting noncritical items were identified.
• These criteria include: use of personal protective equipment, removal of contamination, pre-disinfection cleaning, use of low-level disinfectants, and adherence to manufacturer recommendations.

Conclusions:

• The identified criteria provide a robust framework for evaluating and developing appropriate policies for noncritical equipment decontamination.
• Implementing these evidence-based criteria can improve disinfection practices and reduce infection risks in healthcare settings.