In a medical setting, it should be fairly obvious that the surgical tools being used on patients should be cleaned, disinfected, and sterilized. It is also common knowledge that operating surfaces and bathrooms should be cleaned as well. But what hospital equipment in many medical facilities may frequently be passed over because staff may not think it needs to be cleaned?

Here are a few examples:

Linen Hampers

It is hospital procedure that soiled linens should be disposed of or cleaned, but did you know that medical facilities should also be cleaning the hampers the linens are thrown into? This is because the soiled linens can transfer infections, blood, or feces to the hamper and contaminate it. If it’s not cleaned, you risk infecting the next patient.

Garbage Cans

Garbage cans should be routinely emptied and the bags replaced, but did you know the garbage can itself should routinely be cleaned? This is because residue and smells can get left behind or linger due to leaks in the bag. This makes for a nasty garbage can that can negatively impact a patient’s stay and contain contaminants. 

Stretchers

Stretchers may not always be thought of when it comes to a routine cleaning, but it is important that they get cleaned to prevent the spread of infection. When transporting a patient, bodily fluid can transfer to the stretcher and leave behind residue that can infect another patient if it’s not properly disinfected. Cleaning stretchers also needs to follow a specific process to avoid damaging the equipment. Failure to properly follow cleaning procedure can cause the surface to corrode. 

Various Hospital Carts

All different types of carts are essential to hospitals. These carts can include anesthesia carts, case carts, dietary carts, EVS carts, pharmacy carts, and utility carts. It is vital that all carts in the medical setting are routinely cleaned, even if they are not used for surgical purposes. Foods on dietary carts can leave stains or smells if not cleaned, and utility carts can have sticky tape or other unwanted materials left behind. Carts should be kept clean on a routine basis. 

IV Poles

IV poles are another piece of medical equipment that should always be thoroughly cleaned after use. This is because nurses, doctors, and the patients themselves are constantly touching it. Routine cleaning will help get rid of germs or any bodily fluid that may have ended up on it. It is important to ensure this routine cleaning happens before the IV pole is used for another patient.

How We Can Help

Hospitals are full of so many medical devices and equipment that it can be hard to keep track of them. Staff doing a routine cleaning can sometimes pass up some of this equipment in the process, and this can be a serious mistake.

If your medical facility needs assistance with cleaning all medical equipment the proper way, including the ones on this list, contact a professional at EquipSystems. 

EquipSystems provides a comprehensive cleaning process that removes dirt, dried fluids, tape, stickers and residue from equipment. They also disinfect all hard surfaces with a proven 3 log kill rate of bacteria, viruses, fungus and yeasts. This reduces the potential for costly infections and eliminates a proven 99.999% of bacteria, viruses, fungus and yeasts and reduces the potential of infectious reservoirs. They make sure to clean, disinfect, and sterilize all of your hospital equipment, even the equipment you may not think needs it. Find the list of equipment they service here.