Disinfection Procedure for Treatment Rooms

Cleanliness is a crucial issue to ensure patient safety in treatment rooms for medical practices, dental offices, hospitals, physical therapy services and nursing homes. Health care professionals must address this issue with a specific plan that outlines what must be cleaned, how often, procedures for cleaning, products and equipment to be used, and what personnel is responsible for each task.

Cleaning Plan

• It is possible to prevent pathogenic contamination in the treatment room through conscientious infection control. The targets for disinfection procedures are bacteria, viruses, prions and fungi. Three concepts combine to form a successful hygienic safety plan for treatment rooms: cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing. A checklist of daily sanitation tasks to be completed by office staff or an outside cleaning contractor will provide documentation of the plan's implementation.

Cleaning Process

• Damp mop all areas of the treatment room floors each day with detergent and water. Move trolleys, beds and chairs for complete access. Wipe down sinks, taps and all surrounding surfaces with detergent and water. The selection of the appropriate cleaning product will depend on the surface and the level of contamination. Some levels of contamination require disinfectants registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA.) Cleaning solutions must be kept fresh, and cleaning tools must be disposable or adequately cleaned, decontaminated and dried.

Disinfection

• Disinfection is the process of killing pathogens. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines three levels of disinfection--high, intermediate and low--for "patient care items" that do not require sterilization, and two levels--intermediate and low--for environmental surfaces. These levels are rated according to a disinfecting product's antimicrobial "kill factor." The intended use of the patient care item determines the recommended level of disinfectant. Include the appropriate disinfecting product for each task in the overall hygienic safety plan.

Sterilization

• There are several types of sterilization systems available including heat, steam, radiation and chemical vapor. After cleaning, sterilize critical and semicritical equipment, using a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved sterilizer. The length of time for sterilization depends on the type of germ population and the number of germs believed to be present. Higher levels of contamination require longer sterilization times.

Regulatory Agencies

• Both the EPA and the FDA have rules to regulate the use of disinfectants and sterilants. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the CDC also play a role in ensuring patient safety in treatment rooms. Designing and implementing an effective program for cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing treatment rooms requires a health professional to research and understand the roles played by these various government agencies.