Patient Care Equipment as a Pathway for Infection
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
For this research paper the question posed was “Is there a hospital procedure that needs to be updated?" To answer that question data was collected from numerous nursing journals and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to analyze the need for better hygiene of the equipment that comes into contact with the patient. Some of the items that were discussed in the research include: stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, thermometers, keyboards, phones, bedside tables, electrocardiogram (ECG) wires, and lab coats. From the evidence based practice research articles, it was evident that more focus needs to be placed on the daily cleaning and disinfection of equipment that receives frequent use to assess patients. It was evident after being in the facility on two separate occasions that a need for further education and reinforcement on proper disinfectant practices was needed. Some related interventions that should be included are reinforcement of proper cleaning techniques of patient care equipment on shift by shift basis, not just when the patient is being discharged or transferred. Another intervention that should be addressed is how to use correct cleaning and disinfecting products based on the patient’s needs, diagnosis, and the contamination level of the equipment. Another important factor is to consider the type of material that makes up the equipment when selecting a disinfectant solution. With all of these aspects in mind and also the concept to make cleaning of patient care equipment more routine in daily patient care is a critical topic that needs to be addressed, policies changed, and interventions implemented.
Location
Small Ballroom, Curris Center
Start Date
April 2016
End Date
April 2016
Patient Care Equipment as a Pathway for Infection
Small Ballroom, Curris Center
For this research paper the question posed was “Is there a hospital procedure that needs to be updated?" To answer that question data was collected from numerous nursing journals and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to analyze the need for better hygiene of the equipment that comes into contact with the patient. Some of the items that were discussed in the research include: stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, thermometers, keyboards, phones, bedside tables, electrocardiogram (ECG) wires, and lab coats. From the evidence based practice research articles, it was evident that more focus needs to be placed on the daily cleaning and disinfection of equipment that receives frequent use to assess patients. It was evident after being in the facility on two separate occasions that a need for further education and reinforcement on proper disinfectant practices was needed. Some related interventions that should be included are reinforcement of proper cleaning techniques of patient care equipment on shift by shift basis, not just when the patient is being discharged or transferred. Another intervention that should be addressed is how to use correct cleaning and disinfecting products based on the patient’s needs, diagnosis, and the contamination level of the equipment. Another important factor is to consider the type of material that makes up the equipment when selecting a disinfectant solution. With all of these aspects in mind and also the concept to make cleaning of patient care equipment more routine in daily patient care is a critical topic that needs to be addressed, policies changed, and interventions implemented.