INFECTION PREVENTION sponsored by
addition to routine procedures, EVS staff should be disinfecting high-touch surfaces more frequently than usual. CDC recom- mends using alcohol-based hand rubs with greater than 60 percent ethanol or 70 percent isopropanol in health care settings to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
Meaning and impact of deep cleaning
Depending on who you ask, deep clean- ing holds different meanings within and outside of healthcare environments. “Deep cleaning is often associated with a shutdown resulting from exposure to pathogen or a protocol preceding reopen- ing of a shuttered facility,” indicated Matt
Learning from COVID-19
What EVS lessons and tips have come to light from the COVID-19 pandemic? Healthcare Purchasing News shares these insights from industry professionals.
“With the emergence of COVID-19, even more emphasis has been placed on the importance of EVS staff and their role in fighting the spread of the disease. More broadly, I think infection prevention teams are reflecting on lessons learned that will help hospitals prepare for future pandemics, including the importance of continuous syndromic surveillance, preparing for supply shortages, and overall pandemic planning. Other tips and lessons learned include:
• Flexibility around PPE and product supplies in the event of shortages • Rethinking how the work gets completed. Here are some examples: 1. To preserve PPE supplies, have nursing perform occupied cleaning since they will already be in the room
2. Repurpose furloughed staff such as training valet parking staff to be responsible for frequent cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces in public areas and elevators
3. Since it is not a specific recommendation and we don’t perform patient care activities on walls, is complete wall cleaning (rather than just spot cleaning) really necessary?
4. Take down privacy curtains in private rooms that have doors as they are not essential and create more cleaning work for EVS.” Doe Kley, Clorox Healthcare
“The need for scheduled and regular next-level cleaning for the entire facility is necessary for both a healthier work environment and a safer clinical care setting. There should no longer be a disinfection exception for items like curtains or shades that can be shared by hundreds of patients before their next cleaning. The concept of disinfecting an item “when visibly soiled” has often been used as an excuse for items that seem difficult, and this language exists in many cleaning protocols. It is time to remove the ex- cuse. All hospital-acquired infections can be prevented. We have to accept the challenge that keeping our staff and customers safe requires more.” John Mazzaccaro, HAIGuard
“a. Hand hygiene remains the cornerstone of infection prevention and the #1 way to reduce spread of diseases. b. Signage can help reinforce the importance of proper hand hygiene with staff and as healthcare facilities open to visitors.” Deborah Chung, Essity North America
“COVID-19 has suddenly brought to the forefront two major pain points for healthcare teams across the country: contact times and supply chain.
48 July 2020 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS •
hpnonline.com
In the past, running out of disinfecting products or wipes wasn’t a con- cern and disinfectants with a ten-minute contact time were the industry norm. Now people are realizing the peace of mind producing disinfectants on site with a one-minute contact time provides.” Rayne Guest, R-Water LLC
“Because of PPE shortages, we’ve heard of changes to routine cleaning in hospitals. In many cases, nursing staff has been doing daily cleaning when they go in to check vitals or give medications, and EVS has only performed terminal cleaning. In surge locations, the need to get rooms turned over has been complicated by the need to let them air out before cleaning. Both situations mean you need cleaning products that are user-friendly, highly effective, and very efficient.”
Michelle Olsen, Rubbermaid Commercial Products
“A common theme emerging from this crisis is preparation. This caught the healthcare industry off-guard, hence the reactive responding that we’ve all seen. Moving forward, facilities will have more comprehensive plans and mitigation strategies in place to reduce the risk of transmission.” Brian Le, Synexis
“a. Contingency planning or what to do when things don’t go according to plan. In times of crisis, supply availability can be strained. How does an EVS program re-allocate the resources they have to the areas of greatest need? What goes into developing a Plan B and Plan C?
b. Rapid fire communication and education strategies. In many places, supply chain interruptions required that the facility change their practice to a new product, process or technology. How was the information effectively com- municated to front-line staff?”
Marc-Oliver Wright, PDI Healthcare
“As part of our Heroes on the Frontline of Health Care Monthly Spotlight Program in partnership with AHE, we are hearing so many wonderful stories about the role that EVS plays in not only keeping patients and staff safe, but also in being a source of comfort for patients who are alone in the hospital right now without family/friends allowed by their side. I think EVS teams – now more than ever – can learn how just a small gesture of care and a smiling face can mean the world to these patients and can help aid in their recovery.” Kristen Venegas, Kimberly-Clark Professional
Schiering, Contec, Inc. “Prior to COVID- 19, one would have heard this term most frequently in reference to a cruise ship, nursing home or school that had endured a norovirus outbreak. Deep cleaning is often simply treating high-touch surfaces to ensure confidence prior to allowing people to expose themselves to these same surfaces upon reopening. Everything from UV and fogging devices to ‘old school’ scrubbing brushes and high-level disinfectants each have their place in addressing COVID-19 concerns. It may seem trite, but mechani- cal removal and adherence to label dwell times remains a tried and true way to ensure efficacious and efficient elimination of pathogens.”-
Synexis’ Le draws a connection between deep cleaning, terminal cleaning and complementary cleaning practices. “In healthcare, deep cleaning is often associated with terminal cleaning,” Le said. “Deep cleaning is the ability to thoroughly clean and disinfect the room, top to bottom, at a single point in time, but the minute an individual enters that room, the process of recontamination begins. It would be advantageous if you could augment deep cleaning by employing measures, such as dry hydrogen peroxide (DHP), that continuously and comprehensively keep microbial levels down. Synexis’ automated technology produces DHP from ambient
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