Five Overlooked High-Touch Points in Hospitals
Hospital janitorial staff are trained to regularly clean high-touch points to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including bed rails, nurse call buttons, elevator buttons and door handles. But are there areas staff may be overlooking?
According to Infection Control Today , there are five high-touch points often ignored by cleaning staff:
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Smartphones
Not exclusive to hospitals, smartphones are probably one of the most frequently-touched surfaces in all of our daily lives. There’s a good chance you’re reading this blog on yours right now!
Clinicians increasingly rely on their smartphones for different tasks throughout the work day, but how often are they cleaned? People who work in hospitals should clean their phones frequently with an approved cleaning solution, like a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe.
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Medication dispensing machines
These machines may be touched by hospital employees hundreds of times a day. Used to safely store and dole out patient meds, they should be cleaned and disinfected regularly throughout the day to reduce the risk of spreading pathogens.
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Pneumatic tube systems
These systems send paperwork, samples and meds throughout hospitals efficiently, but they can also accumulate pathogens. To prevent spread, carrier tubes should be disinfected after every use, and the whole system should be adequately cleaned on a regular basis.
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Paper charts and clipboards
While many hospitals and clinics have digitized their documentation, paper and clipboards are still used throughout the day, and they are often handled by more than one person. Consider using an EPA-registered disinfectant on frequently-handled charts that will kill pathogens without degrading acrylics or plastics.
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Break rooms
Wiping down shared tables and chairs may be obvious, but what about other frequently-touched objects in break rooms, like the microwave or coffee maker? These objects are rarely disinfected, but they should be regularly to reduce the spread of COVID in hospital settings.
Our online catalog contains everything you need to reduce the spread of COVID and other pathogens in your hospital through regular cleaning and disinfecting. Click here to explore our disinfectants and other cleaning supplies in St Louis.
