Infection Prevention in Point of Care Testing

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Infection Prevention in Point of Care Testing
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Point of Care Testing (POCT)

• Diagnostic testing at or near the site of patient
  care
• Uses portable handheld devices
• In facility setting, devices used for multiple
  patients
• Glucose testing most common

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Infection Control Concerns

• Shared POCT devices are a potential vehicle for
  transmission of blood-borne pathogens, such as
  Hepatitis B
• Some outbreaks of Hepatitis B in healthcare
  settings tied to lapses in standard precautions
  when glucometers and lancing devices were used
  for multiple patients

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Evaluate Equipment

• Review POCT equipment such as lancing devices and
  glucometers to determine if equipment is designed
  for
• Single-use (disposable)
• Health care professional use, intended for
  multiple patients
• Patient self-testing, intended for single patient
  use
• Equipment designed for single patient use should
  not be employed for facility POCT

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Hand Hygiene and Gloves

• Wear gloves during fingerstick blood glucose
  monitoring
• Change gloves that have touched potentially
  blood-contaminated objects or fingerstick wounds
  before touching clean surfaces.
• Remove and discard gloves after every patient
• Perform hand hygiene immediately after the
  removal of gloves

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Lancing Devices

• Disposable single-use lancing device
• Discard entire device after one and only one use
• Lancing devices for professional use
• Discard lancet (and any endcap) after one and
  only one use
• Follow manufacturers instructions for cleaning
  and disinfection of lancet holder after each and
  every use

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Glucometer

• Shared glucometer is a potential vehicle for HBV
  transmission
• Meter manufacturer must indicate that use on more
  than one patient is permissible
• Meter must be cleaned and disinfected after each
  and every use

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Insulin Pens

• Risk of transmission of blood-borne pathogens
  from shared use
• FDA insulin pens and insulin cartridges are
  never to be shared among patients
• Even if needles are changed between patients, any
  blood contamination of the pen reservoir could
  result in transmission of already existing
  blood-borne pathogens from the previous user

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• Thank you