Certification in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC) Practice Exam

Semi-critical items are those that come into contact with mucous membranes or non-intact skin and require high-level disinfection or sterilization due to the risk of transmitting infections. Endoscopes, endotracheal tubes, and respiratory equipment are all considered semi-critical items as they have direct contact with mucous membranes and carry a higher risk of infection if not properly disinfected. Therefore, they must undergo high-level disinfection or sterilization to ensure patient safety. Scissors, on the other hand, are classified as non-critical items if they are used in a manner that does not directly contact sterile tissue or mucous membranes. Instead, they come into contact only with intact skin, which requires less stringent disinfection practices, typically involving low-level disinfection. This distinction makes scissors a non-semi-critical item, leading to the classification assigned in the answer.