A hospital is a place where people come to heal. It’s also a place where hospital-associated infections (HAIs) are common and can be deadly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that HAIs affect 1 in 25 hospital patients each year — that’s about 2 million Americans.
Here are some of the most effective hospital housekeeping practices to help prevent HAIs from happening.
1. Hire Experienced Medical Center Cleaning Services
Hospitals attract all kinds of people, from staff to visitors. Everyone can carry germs and spread them to others. Hospital housekeepers are not just there to clean the hospital rooms, hallways, and common areas, they also help maintain hospital hygiene.
Employing experienced medical center cleaning services will ensure that your hospital remains clean and safe, particularly when hospital equipment is being used on patients who are experiencing weakened immune systems. Always remember that good hospital housekeeping services are a hospital’s first line of defense in preventing HAIs.
2. Use Hospital-Grade Cleaners and Disinfectants Properly
One of the most important hospital housekeeping practices is to utilize hospital-grade cleaning products and disinfectants. These hospital-grade cleaners and disinfectants aren’t your regular home remedy cleaners that you use with your mop or broom.
Hospital cleaners are made from hospital-grade chemicals that can kill germs effectively. Always make sure to use these cleaners in their proper form for application (i.e., powder, liquid, wipes) and be consistent. It is also advisable to check the expiration dates on these supplies because they do not last forever.
3. Do Not Ignore Complaints or Concerns
HAIs are usually a by-product of poor hospital housekeeping, which is why it’s important to address possible concerns regarding sanitation and hygiene. Don’t ignore complaints or concerns from hospital staff, patients, and visitors. These people should be allowed to report any unsanitary conditions in your hospital.
Always be open to their suggestions about improving the quality of your hospital cleaning services from all because they know best what they need.
4. Terminal Clean Operating Rooms after Surgery
After surgery, the hospital operating rooms need to be cleaned thoroughly. It’s not enough just to wipe out any blood on the floor or walls. Hospitals that employ professional sanitary contractors may opt for terminal cleaning services so they can clean, disinfect and deodorize all of the equipment inside an operating room after a surgical procedure is completed. Remember, terminal cleaning helps prevent HAIs by ensuring that all microorganisms have been removed from medical tools and surfaces in an operating room.
5. Use Hospital Cleaning Checklists and Protocols
Hospital cleaning checklists can help hospital cleaners do a better job. Hospitals have different medical equipment that needs to be cleaned regularly, so having the proper checklist is very important. Luckily, companies that offer commercial cleaning services may already have their hospital cleaning checklists, which means you won’t have to write one from scratch anymore if you outsource your hospital cleaning services.
6. Clean Hospital Rooms Before New Patients Arrive
One of the biggest causes of hospital-associated infections is when dirty hospital rooms or hallways transfer microorganisms to new patients, equipment, or hospital housekeepers. Encourage your hospital housekeeping staff to follow this best practice: always thoroughly clean a room before its scheduled use by another patient, regardless of whether it appears clean or not.
7. Use In-room Hospital Safety Cabinets for Infectious Waste
Use in-room hospital safety cabinets to dispose of potentially harmful medical waste. These safety cabinets should have a biohazard warning label clearly displayed on the door so everyone knows how hazardous these items are. These safety cabinets should be used only by hospital personnel and never touched or opened by anyone else because of possible exposure to infectious pathogens. The in-room hospital safety cabinet doors need to be tightly closed after each use with a proper sealant so no odors or germs can escape.
Hiring an EVS cleaning company can help reduce the risk of hospital-associated infections in your facility. Hospitals have high foot traffic and are exposed to a lot of germs every day, which is why it’s important to have an efficient and thorough cleaning crew that uses high-quality disinfectants and professional-grade sanitizing wipes for floor cleaning services. If you are looking for hospital housekeeping services, contact us today.
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