There are thousands of cases in which patients die because of the infections they get at the hospital. Mostly it is due to poor cleaning standards being followed by the staff. The equipment may not be cleaned properly, proper protocols were not followed by the staff, or the space was not cleaned. This is why deep cleaning should be ensured at all medical offices to prevent bacteria from transferring to an ill patient or a person with a weak immune system. Here is how you can clean your medical offices in the best possible way. Let us have a look.
Ensure Cleaning Protocols and Checklists
To ensure a clean medical facility, start educating your employees on cleaning and disinfection protocols. All employees need to be trained properly about what areas to clean and how to clean them. Create a checklist that includes all the surfaces that are frequently touched, such as cabinets, shelves, sinks, doors, doorknobs, keyboards, chairs, and light switches. You must ensure that these surfaces are continuously disinfected. Medical facility cleaning checklists ensure that all of the cleaning tasks are completed on time and effectively. Make sure you have a system in place to ensure that the cleaning meets your facility’s standards. With repetitive training, you can ensure that your employees are aware of the protocols they must follow.
Disinfection and Hygiene
Medical and healthcare facilities require proper methods for the disinfection and sanitization of the surfaces. Hence, you must ensure that proper precautions like gloves and goggles are worn before cleaning your facility. Before disinfecting, the surface should be cleaned with detergent and water. Scrubbing with soap reduces bacteria and germs, and disinfecting the surface kills them. The environmental protection team mentions standard disinfectants that can be used in medical facilities. Also, workers should wear latex gloves when using disinfectants to ensure ventilation. Make sure that you don’t mix the chemicals improperly. You can also use an alcohol solution containing at least 70% alcohol or a diluted bleach solution.
Wash Your Hands
Washing hands should be normal practice at a medical facility as this is the best and most effective way to fight against germs. Ensure an abundant quantity of anti-bacterial soaps and gels are present in your medical office. Moreover, you should wash your hand before and after checking a patient, even if you wear gloves. The same practice should be followed by the patients and working staff.
Device Sterilization
Devices, especially the ones which are used regularly during medical check-ups, must remain sterilized. There are several options to sterilize devices. Different kinds of sterilizers can be used to clean and store medical equipment. Moreover, there are multiple techniques to kill all the bacteria and microbes lurking in equipment.
Apply Disinfectant to Waste Cans
When the trash can is empty, you must apply the disinfectant inside and outside of the trash can. Soak it completely in disinfectant and dry it before changing the can liner. However, the disinfectant needs to stay on the surface for some time to ensure that it kills all the bacteria on the surface. Always keep in mind the wet dwell time of the selected disinfectant. It is time a product takes to remain wet on the surface to kill germs effectively.
Keep Public Areas Clean
If your medical facility has a waiting area where the patients wait before getting a check-up, it also needs to be maintained and kept clean. It is the responsibility of the staff to ensure the cleaning of the waiting area specifically and to ensure environmental protection standards. Waste bins should be put in the waiting area so the visitors that use them. Also, create a cleaning and hygiene plan for other areas which are frequently used. These areas include restrooms and sitting areas.
Damp Mop Floor
After vacuuming or dusting the floor, it should be wiped with a floor mop and a universal cleaner. Microfiber flat mops are preferred as they reduce the amount of liquid used and reduce the time it takes to dry the floor. Once you start wiping the floor with a wet mop, be sure to post a wet floor sign to warn people as it can be very slippery. Mop heads should be replaced between rooms to avoid contamination of floors.
It is very important to keep the medical offices clean as it can result in the spread of diseases and the death of patients. Therefore, the management and staff of the medical offices should be very responsible when it comes to cleaning and ensure that all standard protocols are being followed. The tips shared above will help alot if you want a spotless and clean medical office at all times. So make sure to follow them properly.
