Eight steps to clean and disinfect hospital wards
In healthcare facilities, such as hospitals or units with inpatient wards, disinfecting hospital rooms designated for patients is essential for maintaining a clean and hygienic environment. This contributes to protecting the health and safety of both patients and medical staff.
When cleaning staff sanitize a room occupied by patients, there are several important practices to follow in order to achieve an environment that is as sterile and safe as possible for both patients and medical staff.
For cleaning procedures to be as effective as possible, the following steps should be followed regularly:
- Sanitization should be done starting from cleaner surfaces and moving to dirtier surfaces.
- All surfaces should be considered dirty, but some may be more visibly soiled than others.
By addressing cleaner surfaces first and only then the dirtier ones, the chances of cross-contamination can be reduced. Specifically, germs and bacteria from a dirtier surface will not be transferred to a cleaner one.
Sanitizing from top to bottom
When cleaning staff begin the sanitization process from top to bottom, or from the highest point of an object to the lowest, the possibility of dirt or dust falling and contaminating an already cleaned area is significantly eliminated.
For example, if a room's floor is cleaned first and objects at height are cleaned later, the floor might need to be cleaned again if dirt from a window sill falls onto the floor during cleaning. To avoid this situation, floors should always be cleaned last. KLINTENSIV® – Concentrated disinfectant detergent
Prioritizing high-touch surfaces
Cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces in a hospital room is an important part of the sanitization process. High-touch surfaces must be disinfected at least once a day to eliminate and kill germs, bacteria, and disease-causing pathogens. These surfaces include hand-washing sinks and floors. For these, professional high-efficacy disinfectants will be used. Low-contact surfaces, such as walls, baseboards, and corners, should be cleaned weekly.
Steps for disinfecting hospital rooms
It is important for every healthcare facility to have a clear cleaning and disinfection protocol. Developing such a document requires considering the supply of all necessary consumables, such as: cloths, wet floor warning signs, trash bags, professional detergents and disinfectants for surfaces, gloves, and protective masks.
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Preliminary room assessment
Before cleaning, a preliminary visual assessment of the room must be performed. This involves visually checking the patient's current condition to ensure that sanitization procedures can be carried out safely.
For example, if a patient suffers from an illness that requires certain precautions, the cleaning staff may not be able to complete a full cleaning of the area.
Next, the cleaning staff should look for blood stains or body fluids on the floor, which may require special cleaning.
Finally, the staff should check for obstacles, broken furniture, and surfaces that could pose a hazard or hinder the sanitization of the space.
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Removing trash and hazardous waste
After the area has been checked, proceed with emptying the trash cans. If the hazardous waste container is full, it must be replaced with a new one.
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Disinfecting trash cans
Once the trash has been completely emptied, disinfectant chemicals must be applied inside and outside the trash cans. These should be allowed to act and dry before the trash bag is replaced.
Disinfectants must remain on a surface for a specific period of time to ensure that all germs and bacteria on that surface are killed. GLUTACIDE® – Concentrated disinfectant
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Cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces
High-touch surfaces are surfaces that are frequently touched and can spread diseases and infections from one person to another. In a room occupied by patients, some of the highest-risk areas that should be prioritized during cleaning and disinfection include:
- Door handles
- Handrails
- Medical assistance carts
- Bed rails
- Chairs
- Monitors
- Any reusable equipment or machines
- Meal trays
- Sinks and faucets
- Toilet seats
Surfaces should always be cleaned before being disinfected. It is important to remove any visible dirt or stains before disinfection.
Once the dirt load has been removed from the surfaces, a specialized product with disinfecting action will be applied.
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Spot cleaning dirt marks on walls, windows, and glass furniture
Walls, windows, and glass panes will be inspected for visible dirt. Windows, mirrors, and other glass furniture will be cleaned with a special window cleaning solution.
If there is visible dirt on the walls, the cleaning staff must clean and disinfect these surfaces using a microfiber cloth.
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Vacuuming floors
While dust mops or brooms are common ways to remove dirt and dust from floors, the use of a vacuum cleaner is recommended in hospital rooms. For patients with respiratory sensitivities, a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter can trap dust and dirt particles without redistributing them into the air.
Some vacuum cleaners are also designed to emit little to no noise, making them perfect for use in occupied patient rooms.
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Sanitizing floors with disinfectant
After the floors have been vacuumed or dusted, the cleaning staff will clean the floor using a wet mop. A high-efficacy disinfectant will be used for this step, as floors are responsible for spreading potentially dangerous microorganisms from one room to another. KLINOSEPT® – Rapid alcohol-based disinfectant
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Final room inspection
Just as at the beginning, the cleaning staff will visually assess the room to ensure that no area or visible dirt has been missed. Additionally, the staff should ensure the area is dry before removing wet floor signs.
Conclusion
Cleaning and disinfecting a room will create and maintain a safe and hygienic environment for hospitalized patients. Proper cleaning procedures can reduce the spread of diseases within the healthcare facility. Using best cleaning practices can also reduce the risk of cross-contamination between hospital surfaces.
Cleaning and disinfection of rooms will be done using products specifically designed for the healthcare field, as these have a proven capacity to remove pathogenic germs. The right combination of cleaning products and procedures will limit the spread of diseases and keep patients safe from the risk of contamination with viruses or bacteria. Professional disinfectants for hospital use
