Hygiene practices in healthcare facilities are essential to maintaining a clean and safe environment for patients and staff.
Top Three Healthcare Facility Hygiene Challenges
Maintaining strict hygiene protocols is critical to healthcare facility safety for several reasons--specifically:
- Infection prevention.
- Improved patient outcomes and;
- Total cost reduction.
However, healthcare facilities managers and maintenance personnel face several distinct challenges--chief among them are:
- Occupant hand hygiene.
- Environmental cleaning and;
- Waste disposal.
Hand Hygiene: The Cornerstone of Infection Prevention
Hand hygiene is the single most important measure for preventing the spread of infection in healthcare settings.
It is estimated that handwashing can reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) by up to 50%.
The reason being:
- Healthcare settings are breeding grounds for germs.
- Hands are a significant source of germs and;
- Germs can quickly spread from hands to other people and objects.
There are two main ways to clean hands in healthcare settings:
- Handwashing with soap and water and;
- The use of hand sanitizer.
Handwashing with soap and water is preferred, but hand sanitizer can be used as an alternative when soap and water are unavailable.
To wash your hands with soap and water, follow these steps:
- Wet your hands with warm water.
- Apply soap and lather your hands for at least 20 seconds. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Rinse your hands thoroughly with warm water.
- Dry your hands with a clean towel or air dry them.
To use hand sanitizer, follow these steps:
- Apply hand sanitizer to the palm of one hand.
- Rub your hands together until they are dry.
It is essential to clean your hands before and after providing care to patients and between tasks.
For example, you should wash your hands before and after:
- Touching a patient.
- Administering medication.
- Changing a dressing.
- Using the restroom, or;
- Eating.
Environmental Cleaning: Creating a Clean and Safe Environment
Environmental cleaning removes dirt, debris, and germs from surfaces and objects in a healthcare setting and is critical to occupant and environmental health for several reasons.
In particular, it:
- Reduces the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
- Improves patient safety and;
- Creates a more comfortable environment for patients and staff.
Recommended Cleaning Procedures for Commonly Touched Surfaces
Floors
- Sweep or vacuum the floor to remove any loose dirt or debris.
- Mop the floor with a damp mop and a mild cleaning solution.
- Rinse the mop head and wring it out frequently to prevent the spread of dirt and bacteria.
- Dry the floor thoroughly with a clean towel.
Walls
- Dust the walls with a feather duster or a microfiber cloth.
- Wipe down the walls with a damp cloth and a mild cleaning solution.
- Rinse the cloth frequently to prevent the spread of dirt and bacteria.
- Dry the walls entirely with a clean towel.
Furniture
- Dust the furniture with a feather duster or a microfiber cloth.
- Wipe down the furniture with a damp cloth and a mild cleaning solution.
- Rinse the cloth frequently to prevent the spread of dirt and bacteria.
- Dry the furniture thoroughly with a clean towel.
Medical equipment
- Clean medical equipment according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Use a mild soap and water solution to clean most medical equipment.
- For more heavily soiled equipment, use a disinfectant solution.
- Rinse all equipment thoroughly with water after cleaning.
- Dry all equipment entirely before using it again.
Additionally:
- Always clean from the cleanest area to the dirtiest area.
- Use separate cleaning cloths for different surfaces.
- Dispose of dirty cleaning cloths properly.
- Clean surfaces immediately after they become dirty.
- Wear gloves when cleaning to protect yourself from germs.
- Open windows to ventilate the area while you are cleaning.
- Clean your cleaning supplies regularly.
Waste Disposal: Safely Managing Healthcare Waste
Strict adherence to waste management protocols is essential to protect the health and safety of people and the environment.
Improper healthcare waste disposal can lead to several risks, including:
- The spread of disease.
- Environmental pollution.
- Injury to workers and;
- Fires and explosions.
However, healthcare facilities face numerous waste disposal challenges, including:
- The nature of healthcare waste.
- The volume of healthcare waste.
- The cost of waste disposal and;
- The regulations governing healthcare waste disposal.
Cost-effective best practices for healthcare waste disposal typically involve:
- Segregation - Healthcare waste must be segregated into different categories, such as hazardous, infectious, and radioactive.
- Labeling - All healthcare waste must be labeled with the appropriate hazard symbol.
- Training - All staff who handle healthcare waste must be trained on the proper procedures for handling and disposing of waste.
- Contracting with a reputable waste disposal company - It is important to contract with a reputable waste disposal company with experience handling healthcare waste. This helps ensure that the waste is handled and disposed of safely and environmentally responsible.
Additional Tips for Maintaining Good Hygiene
- Train healthcare staff on proper hand hygiene techniques and the importance of environmental cleaning.
- Ensure an adequate supply of soap, water, and hand sanitizer throughout the facility.
- Develop a regular cleaning schedule and emphasize its adherence.
- Provide education and guidelines for proper waste disposal.
- Monitor infection rates and implement improvements if necessary.
References
- Canada,. (2018). (none). Ccohs.ca. https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/diseases/good_hygiene.html
- CDC. (2022, April 14). Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings | Handwashing | CDC. Www.cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/handhygiene/
- Health. (2020, May 4). Hygiene and cleaning for the health workforce during COVID-19. Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-the-health-and-disability-sector/hygiene-and-cleaning-for-the-health-workforce-during-covid-19
Takeaway
Maintaining quality hygiene practices is essential to preventing the spread of infection and improving patient safety in healthcare facilities.
Hand hygiene, waste disposal, and environmental cleaning programs are critical to that function.
Onboarding and managing the requisite labor and material resources in the current market may prove cost-prohibitive and undesirable for many organizations.
Outsourcing is a proven method for onboarding skilled service providers equipped with the latest training, processes, and technologies for a fraction of the price of maintaining a comparable service in-house.
Contact us today and discover why Vanguard Cleaning Systems® is the Standard of Clean® for businesses throughout Northwest Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
In Oklahoma, dial 918-960-4450
In Arkansas, dial 479-717-2410
In Missouri, dial 417-812-9777
