A Medical facility is a place where people seek treatment and other rehabilitation services for optimal health. Maintaining high hygiene standards in a medical facility can be challenging. Over the years, hospitals and clinics globally have been following international regulations on ensuring the integrity of the facilities are well-maintained. These regulations include hygiene and sanitation.
Regardless of the regulations, a facility can go a notch higher to ensure the highest of hygiene standards are met. The following are some of the ways to achieve this.
Designate Disinfection Areas
Medical facilities deal with various types of wastes, from non-infectious to highly infectious wastes. Every department and ward in a hospital is expected to have these waste disposal areas to prevent infections. The usual way of disposing of wastes in hospitals is using a colour coding system. This generally works by disposing of non-infectious wastes in a black container; the yellow container is for infectious wastes such as dirty gloves. Highly infectious wastes are disposed of in a red container. Some of these highly infectious wastes include body tissues, blood clots, etc.
There is a designated sharp box to dispose of sharps to prevent injury to staff. Following this simple regulation, makes it easier to segregate waste and keeps the facility clean.
Storage
Correct storage also helps to maintain high hygiene standards in a medical facility. There is a range of equipment used in a hospital, and each separate piece should have proper storage. These tools are essential in the provision of care and treatment to patients. For this reason, store them appropriately to prevent corrosion, contamination, and damage. For instance, medical enclosures can be used to store hospital electrical equipment. Electrical equipment usually needs protection from the elements like moisture and dust. The elements precipitate their destruction if not well-kept.
Additionally, install cabinets and drawers for storing other supplies. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological supplies can be separated for easy retrieval. Store products that need a freezer or a refrigerator appropriately to prevent their spoilage.
Cleaning Staff
The cleaning team is essential to keeping high hygiene standards in a medical facility. Floors are usually filthy with waste from the blood, urine, and other wastes. A hospital should have cleaning staff 24/7, so ensure the staff team is big enough to keep a system running continuously. Keeping a good working shift pattern for cleaning staff is key and it’s a good idea to hold regular meetings with staff to ensure everyone is happy.
Digital equipment such as automatic urinal flushers and toilet flushers can be used. These devices will help flush toilets and urinals, mainly when used by patients who cannot do it themselves.
Sterilization
Medical tools need a sterilizer to keep them clean and sterile for the following procedure. In hospitals, some tools are disposable after a single use, while others are re-used. The disposable ones do not need a sterilizer, but the reusable ones, need proper sterilization. An autoclave can be used to disinfect these tools. An autoclave uses heat under high pressure to kill microorganisms from hospital tools.
Before taking the equipment to an autoclave, make sure they are clean. Set aside soapy, clean water and disinfectants to wash the tools. First off, soak tools in disinfectant water for about ten minutes to kill germs. Then wash the tools in soapy water, and finally rinse them in clean water. Once they are dry, take them to the autoclave for sterilization.
Sanitization Areas
Hand hygiene is a good way of promoting infection prevention. Set specific areas for hand hygiene at the hospital entrance and at every ward or room a person enters. Implementing this simple procedure will go a long way in ensuring your hospital is clean and infections reduced.
An automatic dispenser can be used to dispense hand sanitizers or soap, to avoid multiple people touching such equipment with their hands to prevent cross-contamination.
Keep the Environment Clean
The surrounding environment is also part of the hospital, so it’s important to not only concentrate on the interior but ensure the full environment is clean. Most hospitals have a serene external environment, such as garden areas, to promote healing and prevent the spread of infections.
To clean such areas, focus on expelling any stagnant water from drains, pick up any litter, change bins, clean all surfaces thoroughly, especially door handles and surfaces which may be touched by multiple people throughout the day.
Also, create one main point of waste disposal for all rubbish. The best practice for a medical facility is to use an incinerator to burn biological wastes. Biological wastes can quickly spread infections making a hospital a hotbed of infections. Additionally, keep the air clean by avoiding practices that contaminate it. Medical-grade air purifiers can be used to keep the air clean.
Conclusion
Hospitals need very high hygiene standards, which is evident by the extra practices put in place by organizations like WHO. Globally, the efficiency of the health sector in a country will determine the overall health. For this reason, every health facility needs to maintain the highest level of hygiene standards. Embracing the above guidelines will help keep high hygiene standards in a medical facility and always remember to follow general health guidelines on top of these extras.
