POSITION PAPER: Reprocessing of Critical Foot Care Devices

BACKGROUNDFoot care devices have been associated with healthcare-associated infections and outbreaks [1][2][3][4][5][6].The goal of this document is to provide infection prevention and control recommendations for the management of critical foot care equipment and/or devices.This will include cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, transportation, and storage. POSITION STATEMENTClients expect and require safe care regardless of where the procedure is performed.Therefore, each client interaction requires a sterile set of foot care equipment/devices. 1. Reusable foot care equipment/devices are considered critical devices [7-13].2. All healthcare providers: • Shall have a sufficient number of foot care equipment/ devices/kits to ensure sterile equipment, either single-use or properly reprocessed, for each individual client treatment.• Are responsible to ensure that the client is not placed at risk of infection when reusing any foot care equipment/devices during the provision of care.3. Reprocessing of reusable foot care equipment/devices shall meet the manufacturer's instructions for use (MIFU) and current national guidelines such as those of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC/Health Canada), as well as provincial standards [9, 13].• Reusable equipment/devices are sold with MIFU, including for proper cleaning and sterilization, and shall not be purchased, used, or reprocessed without these.