Page 86
I N F E C T I O N
P R E V E N T I O N
today, reinforcements will appear tomorrow, forcing you to engage
again. So you can never let up. When it comes to surface disinfection,
effective strategies are the key to staying ahead. What's your battle
plan, and — just as importantly — how will you recognize and motivate your foot soldiers on the front lines? Here are some practical suggestions.
Gail Quinlan, RN
Naturally, you want
the people doing the
cleaning and disinfecting to focus much
of their attention on
high-touch surfaces
like bed rails, overbed tables and bathrooms. But they
should also make
sure they disinfect
areas that patients
don't contact as
much, but your staff
do — things like light
switches, doorknobs,
privacy curtains and
keyboards.
TOUCH TYPE High-touch surfaces for
patients often get the lion's share of
attention, but don't ignore high-touch
areas for staff, such as keyboards.
CLOSE AT HAND Make sure
wipes are readily accessible and
that staff follow directions carefully. Otherwise, they can do more
harm than good.
Gail Quinlan, RN
1
Remember
low-touch
surfaces, too.
