According to the classification described by Spaulding, which of the following items of medical equipment fall into the category of noncritical infection risk?

a. Scalpels c. Ventilator tubing
b. Ventilators d. Manual resuscita-tors

ANS: B
Noncritical items come in contact with intact skin. These items include face masks, ventilators, stethoscopes, and blood pressure cuffs. Scalpels are introduced into sterile tissue and are consid-ered critical items. Ventilator tubing and manual resuscitators come in contact with intact mucous membranes and are considered semicritical.