Monday, May 30, 2011

A Clean Hospital is a Safe Hospital

Everyday, hospitals are bombarded with germs, bacteria, viruses, and other infections. Hospital cleaning should be an absolute priority in every hospital to combat the staggering amounts of germs which are brought in daily. This is not only a strain on the patients, but staff as well. Anyone within the walls of the hospital is constantly exposed to any virus or infection brought through the door. The rates of infections caught within hospitals is gradually on the rise each year. Germs can be found under beds, in the cafeteria, on equipment, and in offices. It is unfortunate that a place people go to be treated is many times where they are introduced to all new illnesses.

So what exactly makes a hospital unclean? It is not just untidy beds and spilled foods, it is exposure to fluids, improper sanitation, and a neglect of proper hospital cleaning procedures. As silly as it sounds, cleanliness starts out home with uniforms that have been thoroughly cleaned between every use. Another overlooked precaution, and perhaps the most important, is washing hands. Becoming obsessive about washing hands will dramatically cut back on cross-contamination. Hands must be completely disinfected every time a patient or staff member comes into contact with any 'handled' object.

Hospital cleaning changes a hospital from being a location of transference to a place of healing. A few simple steps can make a huge difference in contamination and the transference of viruses and bacteria. Hospitals can be a stressful environment and it can be easy to overlook simple procedures such as washing hands, quickly cleaning spilled fluids, or properly disinfecting exposed surfaces. It is not unclean people that make a hospital unclean, instead it is generally absentmindedness or oversight. Hospital cleaning should be at forefront of your mind to maintain a happy and healthy work environment for both the staff and the patients.

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