Top 5 Infection Control Mistakes: Part 2

In the healthcare world, there aren’t many things that are more important than practicing proper infection control procedures. One slip up could cause a staff member or patient to contract a life-threatening infection. An outbreak could also bring the CDC down upon your facility and harm your facilities reputation. When it comes to infection control, it is better to be safe than sorry. Make sure you are practicing proper handwashing, proper disinfecting, and wearing appropriate PPE to reduce the risk of dangerous Hospital Acquired Infections.

In my last article, I began discussing the five most common mistakes that professionals make when it comes to infection control. The three covered were improper handwashing and sanitation that lead to HAI’s, improper use of disinfectants, and the reuse of disposable sharps. Let’s take a look at the next two.

The fourth mistake, not allocating enough time for hospital room cleaning, is caused by the need to see more patients then time allows. This need creates a rushed situation to clean hospital rooms. A recent study by the ISSA showed that many hospital employees are given a time allotment form cleaning that isn’t long enough for full disinfection. This issue is also prevalent in dentist offices where dental aids are on a clock to bring in more patients for cleanings. Sometimes the aids don’t correctly disinfect the exam rooms or change their PPE because of the quick timetables. Proper sanitation is much more important than time, and you don’t want to risk legal trouble from not following the appropriate cleaning compliance procedures.

Finally, the last mistake is facilities not providing enough PPE for their employees. This mistake is more common in the dental industry where some people believe that infection control is less critical. In one example, a dentist handed out one pair of gloves to his employees for the entire day. This is a blatant violation of infection control procedures and could be detrimental to the patients.

If you work in the healthcare industry practicing proper infection control procedures is very important and should be taken seriously.

Resources:
https://www.dentalproductsreport.com/dental/article/some-worst-infection-control-mistakes-weve-heard-and-why-2016-year-stop-making-them?page=0,1
https://www.issa.com/video#397