Executive Housekeeping Today - December 2008 - (Page 3)

Infection control in North American hospitals is receiving greater attention as outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as Clostridium Difficile Infection (CDI), have grown over the past few years. Infections can be difficult to control because they often spread unknowingly from patient to patient. In the case of CDI, anything the patient contacts is potentially contaminated. For this reason, CDI patients are often isolated and their rooms thoroughly sanitized after the patient is discharged. With outbreaks in 37 states and Washington, D.C., CDI is quickly becoming a major problem in U.S. hospitals. Consequences of an infectious disease outbreak can be disastrous, leading to high costs for hospitals, patient illness, and even mortality. For these reasons, hospitals are exploring new ways to prevent the spread of infection. i Microfiber May Impede an Infectious Disease Outbreak by Brian Alexson is effective, it provides several challenges to healthcare facilities, such as staff time constraints and potential risks associated with Many hospitals have introduced harsh chemicals. microfiber into their cleaning With today’s environmentallyprograms in order to further friendly cleaning culture, many their Green efforts and stop the cleaning professionals favor Green spread of infectious diseases. cleaning chemicals over harsh alcohol- and bleach-based solutions because they offer improved air More about Microfiber Microfiber is an innovative quality and fewer risks. Healthcare facilities are especially keen cleaning tool that is lightweight, on Green chemicals, as they are in ergonomic, and made up of tiny the business of improving health. fibers that are approximately the As these infections become more size of 1/16th of a human hair. virulent, cleaning professionals Unlike traditional cleaning tools, are finding that Green chemicals such as string mops and cloth rags, do not have the strength to eradi- which are often labor intensive and (continued on next page) cate these “super bugs” and, in many cases, revert to harsh, stronger chemicals to improve effectiveness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hypochlorite-based disinfectants have seen some success in improving the efficacy of a cleaning program. While using hypochlo- Durable Stainless Steel Carts and Fixtures rite-based clean- Factory Direct Pricing ing solutions is - 10 Year Guarantee Against Breakage less than ideal in a Green program, hospitals have found ways to use these solutions while furthering their Green efforts by introducing microfiber into their cleaning pro�� grams. Controlling Infection Infections, such as CDI, spread from person to person via common objects or touch. CDI has the ability to infect anything it contacts, such as a telephones, handrails, or restroom door handles. This makes sanitizing infected rooms and objects extremely important and requires a comprehensive cleaning program. While hospitals have found ways to control and prevent infections medically by using antibiotics with caution, they have also improved cleaning efforts. Healthcare cleaning professionals may spend up to one hour cleaning and sanitizing a single room that a patient with CDI stayed in, using harsh chemicals and excessive cleaning to ensure a sanitary environment. While this method Royce �� Company �� December 2008/Executive Housekeeping Today 3 http://www.roycerolls.net http://www.roycerolls.net

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Executive Housekeeping Today - December 2008

Executive Housekeeping Today - December 2008 Contents Executive Corner Microfiber May Impede an Infectious Disease Outbreak Controlling MRSA Outbreaks in Educational Facilities Frugal Housekeeper Restroom Hygiene IEHA Hosts Progressive Integrated Cleaning and Measurement (ICM)™ Symposium Feature Article The Green Scene 2006-2008 EHT Article Index USGBC Tip Product Highlights New Members Joint IEHA/ISSA Members REH/CEH Members Advertisers' Index Calendar of Events Inside IEHA What IEHA Has Done For Me

Executive Housekeeping Today - December 2008

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