Based on the degree of infection risk, which system categorizes patient care items?

The Spaulding classification system is designed specifically to categorize patient care items based on the degree of risk for infection they pose to patients. This classification breaks down items into three categories: critical, semi-critical, and non-critical. Critical items, which enter sterile tissue or the vascular system, require sterilization. Semi-critical items, which come into contact with mucous membranes, require high-level disinfection. Non-critical items, which only touch skin, require low-level disinfection.

This system is particularly useful in the field of sterile processing because it guides healthcare professionals on the appropriate method of cleaning, disinfection, or sterilization required for each type of instrument or device, thereby helping to prevent healthcare-associated infections.

While the other classifications mentioned, such as those from the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, serve important roles in health and safety regulations, they do not specifically focus on categorizing patient care items based on infection risk like the Spaulding classification does.