The Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program

Re-Use of Single Use Medical Devices

Publications/Presentations
Protocol
Data Collection Form
Working Group

The Canadian Nosocomial Infections Surveillance Program (CNISP) conducted a survey of health care institutions in Canada in order to determine the extent of the re-use of single use medical devices (SUMeD's). A total of 67 critical and semi-critical medical devices and 17 other SUMeD's used in respiratory procedures were surveyed. In December 2000, 741 questionnaires surveys were mailed to all acute-care hospitals in Canada. The questionnaire was designed to measure the extent of re-use of the SUMeD, the cleaning procedures used and the number of times the SUMeD was re-used before being discarded. The administrative policies which govern the re-use of SUMeD's within the hospital were also addressed. >>>