NAC449.531. Sanitation: Disinfection of dialysis machines; culturing dialysate; cleaning of machines and equipment; handling of waste.

     1. Each facility shall periodically disinfect each active and backup dialysis machine in accordance with the policy of the facility concerning the disinfection of those machines. Any disinfection conducted pursuant to the provisions of this subsection must achieve at least intermediate level disinfection.

     2. Each facility shall, at least once each month:

     (a) Randomly collect a sample of dialysate from a dialysis machine that is used by the facility; and

     (b) Conduct a culture of the sample.

Ê The results of a culture conducted pursuant to the provisions of this subsection must not exceed 2,000 colony forming units per milliliter. A hemodialysis machine that is used by a patient of a facility at his or her residence must be cultured at least once each month until results not exceeding 2,000 colony forming units per milliliter are obtained for 3 consecutive months. If those results are obtained, quarterly samples must be cultured.

     3. Immediately after each patient shift but before the next patient shift, the staff of the facility shall clean the exterior of each machine that is used for dialysis, treatment chairs, tourniquets and hemostats. Any blood pressure cuff that becomes contaminated with blood must be removed from service, disinfected and allowed to dry before it is returned to service at the facility.

     4. Each facility shall comply with the requirements concerning the handling of waste from health care related facilities that are established by this State or by any local government which has authority to regulate that activity at the facility.

     5. All sewage or liquid waste must be disposed of in a municipal sewerage system or a septic tank system for which a permit has been obtained by the facility pursuant to state law or local regulations.

     (Added to NAC by Bd. of Health by R130-99, eff. 8-1-2001)