California Code of Regulations
Title 22 - Social Security
Division 5 - Licensing and Certification of Health Facilities, Home Health Agencies, Clinics, and Referral Agencies
Chapter 3 - Skilled Nursing Facilities
Article 3 - Required Services
Section 72323 - Nursing Service-Cleaning, Disinfecting and Sterilizing

(a) Each facility shall adopt a written manual on cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing procedures. The manual shall include procedures to be used in the care of utensils, instruments, solutions, dressings, articles and surfaces and shall be available for use by facility personnel. All procedures shall be carried out in accordance with the manual.

(b) Each facility shall make provisions for the cleaning and disinfecting of contaminated articles and surfaces which cannot be sterilized.

(c) Bedside equipment including but not limited to washbasins, emesis basins, bedpans and urinals shall be sanitized only by one of the following methods:

(d) Chemicals shall not be used as a substitute for the methods specified in (c) above.

(e) Electronic thermometers shall be cleaned and disinfected according to the manufacturer's instructions. Glass thermometers shall be cleaned and disinfected for at least 10 minutes with 70 percent ethyl alcohol or 90 percent isopropyl alcohol with 0.2 percent iodine. Oral and rectal thermometers shall be stored separately in clean, labeled containers with fitted lids.

(f) Individual patient care supply items designed and identified by the manufacturer to be disposable shall not be reused.