Word parts
What it means
A step that makes something safe to touch or use again. For equipment, it ranges from cleaning (removing dirt), to disinfection (killing most germs), to sterilization (killing all germs, including spores). For people exposed to a chemical or radioactive material, it means removing their clothing and washing the skin, often before they enter the hospital.
For the nurse
Wear the protective equipment the situation calls for. After a hazardous exposure, decontamination comes before the client enters the emergency department, unless life-saving care cannot wait.
At a glance
| Spanish | descontaminación |
|---|
Related terms
body fluid
Any liquid made in or found inside the body, such as blood, urine, saliva or fluid inside cells.
antiseptic
A substance put on the skin or other living tissue to kill germs or slow their growth.
spore
A tough, resting form that some bacteria and fungi make, able to survive heat, drying and many cleaning products.