Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare: Essential Practices in Nursing, Dentistry, and Physiotherap

Abstract

Disinfection and sterilization are fundamental concepts in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections involving invasive medical devices and procedures. These measures represent essential nursing, dental, and physiotherapeutic actions to ensure patient safety and protection of medical staff. Medical and healthcare providers are responsible for disinfection and sterilization treatments, which must comply with legal and ethical duties regarding hygiene. Historically, the prevention of healthcare-associated infections has been addressed since the middle of the 19th century with the discovery of germ theory. The emergence of antibiotics and the growing importance of invasive treatments and procedures firstly increased safety but then led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Meanwhile, the importance of hygiene and disinfection and sterilization methods has continuously grown as infectious disease prevalence increases globally (Exner et al., 2020).