According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, patient care items that penetrate soft tissue are categorized as?

The categorization of patient care items by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is essential for establishing appropriate infection control protocols. Items that penetrate soft tissue are considered critical because they pose a significant risk of transmitting infections if they are not sterilized properly.

Critical items, such as surgical instruments or needles, directly contact sterile tissue or vascular system and require sterile processing to eliminate all pathogens, including bacteria and viruses. This is crucial to prevent serious infections, as penetrating soft tissue allows for the direct introduction of microbes into the body, potentially leading to complications.

Understanding this classification supports healthcare professionals in implementing the necessary sterilization techniques to ensure patient safety. Other categories such as non-critical or semi-critical do not involve penetration and have different sterilization or disinfection requirements. Non-critical items typically only come into contact with intact skin, while semi-critical items may contact mucous membranes or non-intact skin but do not penetrate soft tissue.