9 Tips For Making Hospitals Cleaner And Safer
Hospitals provide patients with a healthy environment to recover from their ailments. In the healthcare service industry, cleanliness plays an important role in accelerating a patient’s recovery and preventing hospital readmissions.
However, hospital-acquired infections often hinder healthcare professionals’ efforts; 1 in 33 patients suffer from HAIs annually. Since cleaner hospitals lead to fewer HAIs, reduced readmission rates, and better patient outcomes, healthcare managers should strive to make hospitals safer and germ-free.
This blog will explore some ideas to improve a hospital’s hygiene and create a clean workplace for healthcare workers. If you’re a healthcare service manager, here’s what you need to know:
1. Implement strict hand hygiene practices
Begin your hospital cleanliness efforts by implementing proper hand hygiene practices. Handwashing can control the spread of infections and protect patients from HAIs. Promote handwashing by providing hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the hospital. Ensure that the medical staff, patients, and visitors adhere to hand hygiene practices to create a safer healthcare environment.
2. Train your staff and advance your education
Well-trained workers can ensure proper infection control and overcome common hospital cleanliness hazards. Ensure clinical and non-clinical staff receive in-depth training about hospital sanitation best practices. Moreover, don’t forget to invest in your education to ensure better patient outcomes. Distance learning can help you continue your education and hone your managerial acumen via a flexible learning model. Enroll in an online Master of Healthcare Administration degree to develop the skills necessary to manage a successful hospital. This degree equips you with the appropriate knowledge to solve modern-day healthcare challenges.
The hospital can also utilize the services of a Medical Cleaning Services Company. There are companies that provide the services of hospital cleaning in Des Moines, IA (or wherever you may live in the United States) and they will ensure that the hospital cleanliness and hygiene standards are up to par.
3. Create a culture of open communication
Effective communication is the hallmark of a successful organization and hospitals aren’t an exception to this rule. The staff needs to communicate meaningful information and collaborate to ensure the well-being of their patients. When doctors and nurses fail to communicate, mistakes occur and misinformation harms the safety of patients. Now, what is your responsibility here?
Improve coordination between different departments so patients can receive timely and suitable care. This coordination ensures continuity of patient care, enables efficient transitions, and improves teamwork.
4. Avoid cross-contamination when cleaning
Handwashing isn’t enough to reduce cross-contamination, i.e., people touching contaminated surfaces and then transferring these germs to another person or surface. That’s because not all germs are killed effectively by hand soap or normal sanitizers. Instead, you can reduce cross-contamination by:
*Using color-coded cleaning equipment for different surfaces, i.e., red for infected areas while green for general ones
*Work from clean to dirty areas
*Start cleaning the healthiest patient’s room first and then move on to the unhealthiest one’s room
*Clean all surfaces with EPA-approved disinfectants
*Provide the staff with PPE, especially those dealing with critical patients and those assigned cleaning jobs
5. Use non-toxic products and wear PPE
Use non-toxic cleaning products to ensure optimal hygiene in the hospital. Chemical-based products will emit VOCs that are harmful to the well-being of patients. Instead, biodegradable cleaning products are more environment-friendly and don’t pose any serious health risks.
6. Dispose of hospital waste responsibly
Hospital administrators can maintain cleanliness in a hospital by getting rid of medical waste properly. If you don’t do this, you’ll expose your staff and patients to potential health risks. Here’s how you can effectively dispose of hospital waste:
*Segregate the waste into different categories, such as general waste, infectious waste, sharps, chemical and pharmaceutical waste, and recyclable materials
*Use leak-proof, lockable, and puncture-resistant containers to avoid spills and mass contamination
*Ensure that all containers are sealed and labeled with the required information
*Disinfect the waste to eliminate any potential pathogens before disposing of it
*Collaborate with licensed waste management companies located nearby for swift waste disposal
7. Cater to the healthcare facility’s design
The healthcare facility’s design and layout also affect its cleanliness. As the healthcare administrator, you can lobby for some pro-sanitation design changes to create a culture of cleanliness in the facility. For instance, the new hospital design must accommodate proper spacing, easy-to-clean surfaces, and accessible hand hygiene dispensers. These simple design changes can promote safety.
Similarly, hospitals should incorporate large windows to maximize the use of daylight in patient rooms. Use sound-absorbing materials for noise reduction and ensure easier navigation via well-placed signs.
8. Reduce air pollution in the hospital
A study shows that air pollution ages hospitalized COVID patients by a decade. It’s important to reduce airborne pollutants in a healthcare setting to ensure the safety and well-being of patients. It’s not that difficult to overcome air pollution in a hospital. Some useful tips for accomplishing this include:
*Using high-quality HEPA filters
*Securing your garbage bags tightly
*Grow indoor plants to clear the environment
*Installing an air purifier to eradicate airborne germs
*Enforce a strict no-smoking policy within the hospital premises
*Implement strict protocols for handling hazardous substances and chemicals
*Educate patient visitors to promote their participation in reducing air pollution
9. Monitor water quality to catch germs
Waterborne diseases can bring down patient outcomes in your hospital. That’s why you must ensure the healthcare facility’s water system is regularly tested to provide safe water to patients and the staff.
More importantly, watch out for the presence of Legionella in your water system. A survey shows that, in 13 U.S. states, 70% of hospitals were infested with Legionella. This bacteria leads to Legionnaires’ disease, a condition similar to pneumonia that has symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, and confusion. This affliction is quite common in American hospitals and nursing homes. Ensure the water supply is chlorinated.
Conclusion
Healthcare administrators can ensure their patient’s well-being by giving them a hygienic environment for recuperating. You can improve patient outcomes, reduce the risk of infections, and promote an empowering environment by following the guidelines mentioned in this article. Make the hospital safer and cleaner by curbing air/water pollution, disposing of waste properly, and training your staff about cleaning practices. Invest in your education as well and learn how to supervise the sanitation process of your hospital.
