Which statement about cleaning equipment after patient contact is true?

Which statement about cleaning equipment after patient contact is true?

• A. Non-disposable equipment should be cleaned after each use
• B. Only disposable equipment require cleaning
• C. Cleaning is optional between calls
• D. Disinfecting is unnecessary for non-critical tools

Answer: (A)

Cleaning equipment after patient contact is essential to prevent cross-contamination. Non-disposable items can carry pathogens from one patient to the next, so they must be cleaned after each use to remove soil and reduce microbial load. This cleaning is the first step, often followed by disinfection or sterilization as appropriate for the item and the level of risk. By ensuring non-disposable equipment is cleaned after every encounter, you protect patients and staff and comply with standard infection-control practices. The other statements don’t fit because non-disposable items do require cleaning, cleaning isn’t optional between calls, and non-critical tools should still be disinfected between patient contacts to minimize transmission risk.

Cleaning equipment after patient contact is essential to prevent cross-contamination. Non-disposable items can carry pathogens from one patient to the next, so they must be cleaned after each use to remove soil and reduce microbial load. This cleaning is the first step, often followed by disinfection or sterilization as appropriate for the item and the level of risk. By ensuring non-disposable equipment is cleaned after every encounter, you protect patients and staff and comply with standard infection-control practices. The other statements don’t fit because non-disposable items do require cleaning, cleaning isn’t optional between calls, and non-critical tools should still be disinfected between patient contacts to minimize transmission risk.