Working in the healthcare industry is a big responsibility, you need to take care of sick people, and at the same time you need to make sure that you keep things running smoothly- and that the items used within your healthcare facility are not polluted, or indeed do not cause pollution.
There are many types of pollution prevention that can be put into place, both inside and outside of your work place. First of all more recently was the devastating news of the dentist that had treated over 22,000 people in his surgery, and was HIV positive and filmed performing procedures without taking precautions not to infect his patients. This is an example of how you have to make sure that hygiene methods like hand sanitation, and of course masks and gloves are used when treating patients. This is preventing patients to get polluted by your germs, and the germs that can carry from patient to patient.
First and Foremost Regular Glove Changes and Hand Sanitation Methods
Changing gloves between patients, and procedures is something that all health care professionals must do to prevent the contamination of patients. It is a great way to ensure that pollution does not occur when handling sick people. Hand washing, gels, and of course changing of bed sheets and cleaning of the clinic are all necessary things to maintain a good level of none pollution inside the practice you work.
High Temperature Wash Cycles- Correct Chemical Usage to Destroy Germs in Wash Cycles
Also it is necessary to make sure that all laundry is washed on a high heat setting in a medical grade washing machine, with the necessary detergents set inside to make sure that all germs are eliminated when the wash cycle is switched on. That way, when the laundry is put back onto beds, and the nightgowns are redistributed around to the hospital to patients, any traces of potentially threatening germs can be removed and patients do not have to worry about becoming ill as a result of improper hygiene in the establishment.
Correct Disposal of Clinical Waste /
When it comes to disposing of the items that are used inside your practise though, you need to make sure that the correct disposal of medical waste is used. There are special bins for injections, along with special ways to dispose of blood, urine and stool tests. You need to make sure that protocols are followed stringently and of course that the appropriate waste management companies are involved in making sure that all the bodily fluids are disposed of without contaminating others in the process, or of course damaging the local environment.
When Tests Are Taken Make Sure Patients Use Hygiene Methods
When asked to take a urine test, many patients think about their own hygiene, not the hygiene of others. Make sure that plastic bags are handed out with the notice ‘biohazard’ on the front, and that the patient is made aware where to hand the sample back into. Also keep out trays for those that work in the lab so that they do not ever have to directly handle or touch the sample bottles or vials. Gloves should be worn at all times, as should be masks because you never really know just how sick a patient is, or of course what their test results will be when they are ready.
Make Sure That Cleaners Follow Strict Guidelines
We seem to underestimate cleaners and the work that they do, but in fact without them, a health environment would not be possible to be ran effectively. It is important that cleaners are trained about hygiene and of course just how to keep things after they have cleaned them. They need to know that you have different mops for toilets, surfaces and rooms- and they need to be educated on the importance of glove changes, mask wearing and of course just how to handle any bins that they come into touch with. Imagine if there was a cleaner working in a hospital that cleaned the toilets with the same mop as he or she used to clean the rooms and the waiting areas and offices.. This in itself is a biohazard. Or, if they decided to mop up blood or vomit and then not sterilise the mop before embarking on the next cleaning trip, or in fact changing it for a new one.
The correct use of hygiene and pollution prevention for health care professionals is what is going to make sure that patients can get onto the road to recovery, and that doctors and nurses do not pick up the same diseases that patients want to get treated for.