Focus: Environmental Services

Terminal cleaning checklist systems only as good as the list

When executing the terminal cleaning of hospital rooms, a checklist is a standard tool to guide the cleaning staff


When executing the terminal cleaning of hospital rooms, a checklist is a standard tool to guide the cleaning staff. 
 
But new research presented at the 45th Annual Conference of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) suggests that the protocol is only as good as the list itself, according to an article on the Eureka Alert website.
 
The environmental services team at Summit Health, a hospital in rural Pennsylvania, used a 175-item checklist in 2017 to guide terminal room cleaning. 
 
The list included the dry-erase white boards, but did not include the markers or the erasers.
 
In an inspection of 55 cleaned and prepared patient rooms, 39 markers and 52 erasers were tested for the presence of Adenosine triphosphate, an indicator for the presence of biological residues. Not a single marker and only two erasers passed the test.
 
More than 95 percent of the other checklist surfaces passed.
 
"Although they are just small writing instruments, both the markers and erasers tested at 40 times the threshold. Because these are a main communication tool for nurses, cleaning them properly is of great significance to improving infection prevention,” Ericka Kalp, PhD, MPH, CIC, FAPIC, lead study author and director of epidemiology and infection prevention at Summit Health, said in the article.
 
Summit has used the checklist since 2012. Both markers and the erasers have since been added to the list.
 
 
 


June 21, 2018


Topic Area: Environmental Services


Recent Posts

On the Lookout: The Software Supply Chain as a Healthcare Cyberattack Vector

Staying watchful of third-party software vendors and their activities is critical for healthcare cybersecurity.


Hackensack Meridian Health & Wellness Center at Clifton Opens

The Clifton center expands health care access in Passaic County by reducing barriers such as travel and wait times.


Suffolk Breaks Ground on Expansion of White Plains Hospital

The 10-story, approximately 500,000-square-foot expansion is slated to open in 2028.


EVS Leadership Culture Critical in Preventing Hospital-Acquired Sepsis

Cleaning is an essential yet complex component for the prevention of HAI-induced sepsis.


Man Dies by Suicide in Emergency Department Waiting Room at Kansas Hospital

No staff or patients were harmed, and the man was alone in the waiting area when he shot himself.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 
 
 
 

Healthcare Facilities Today membership includes free email newsletters from our facility-industry brands.

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Posts

Copyright © 2023 TradePress. All rights reserved.