When it comes to effective patient room cleaning, staff training should be paramount for not only environmental service (EVS) personnel, but for all staff involved in patient room cleaning.
To ensure the cleaning and disinfection process removes pathogens from surfaces and equipment where patients receive care, EVS personnel should receive proper training and education on patient room cleaning and disinfecting protocols. This training should not only include an in-depth discussion of the processes involved, but also training on the products that are being used. Once staff has been trained, it’s crucial to monitor patient rooms and staff processes to ensure proper protocol is being followed.¹
Due to the time sensitivity of terminal and daily patient room cleaning, finding ways to complete the process in a safe and efficient manner is crucial.
Faster Dusting
Utilizing products that last longer and pick up debris more effectively is key to streamlining daily dusting tasks. Dusting is a crucial step in patient room cleaning, and 3M™ Easy Trap™ Sweep and Dust Sheets pick-up eight times more dirt and dust and are double-sided, so less time and money is wasted. In addition, the product is perfect for high dusting as it traps debris without redistributing it to other areas or simply moving it around.
Efficient Disinfection
Disinfection is the reason you clean patient rooms in the first place. However, eliminating pathogens can be a long process as products are required to remain on a surface for a pre-determined amount of time to effectively kill present pathogens. Fortunately, 3M formulates disinfectants with shorter dwell times, so you can get patient rooms up and running faster. Specifically, 3M™ C. diff Solution Tablets are EPA registered and kill C. diff spores in just four minutes.
Dust control is also an important part of any disinfection strategy, and products like 3M™ Easy Trap™ Sweep and Dust Sheets keeps everything from floors to surfaces free of dust and debris, ensuring a more effective clean.
Quick and Streak-Free Glass Surfaces
Achieving a streak-free finish on mirrors and other surfaces eliminates the need for costly re-dos.3M™ Glass Cleaner and Protector with Scotchgard™ leaves an invisible layer of protection on glass and uncoated granite, ceramic, and porcelain, making cleaning easier after routine use. It also helps reduce fogging on windows and mirrors with repeated use, reducing future cleaning time.
Efficient, Patient-Friendly Floor Cleaning
If the patient is present during the cleaning process, cleaning staff are essentially performing work in front of a customer. Not only should staff act accordingly, but there are certain products that may be preferable. 3M™ Neutral Floor Cleaner, for instance, is less odorous and less intrusive for the patient experience when cleaning patient room floors.
There are growing pressures to complete cleaning and disinfection procedures faster, safer and at lower costs.
Whether it’s disinfectants with shorter dwell times or dust sheets that trap more debris, an effective cleaning routine will not only streamline daily tasks, but ensure that both patients and visitors will have peace of mind regarding the care they receive.
For more information about daily and terminal patient cleaning or any facility care challenge, contact a 3M sales representative.
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