Healthcare Hot Spots: Stop the Spread of Germs

Cold and flu season is quickly approaching again and when you work in a healthcare facility, you need to take extra care to ensure that it is being disinfected properly. Doing so will reduce the spread of germs and keep your employees and patients safe and healthy! In a given healthcare facility, there tends to be areas and objects that are more frequently interacted with than others. One of the most effective ways to fight off germs is to target these “hot spots” with hand and surface disinfection.

In any facility, but especially in healthcare, one of the most prominent hot spots for germ transmission is on door handles. Not only do ill patients have to touch the front door to enter the facility, but each treatment room also has its own door, as well as restrooms, cafeterias, waiting rooms, and more. Another area to focus on is bed and chair rails and over-bed tables, as these areas tend to be exposed to patient illnesses and germs for extended periods of time.

As far as employees are concerned, important areas to focus on are sink fixtures and telephones. Sink fixtures, especially the ones in treatment rooms, are often touched right after providing treatment to or otherwise coming into contact with patients. Telephones come directly into contact with the employee’s face as they are used and are often used by multiple employees throughout the course of a day.

Additional hot spots to focus on include:

• Elevator Buttons
• Light Switches
• TV Remotes
• Computers (including keyboards, mice, and monitors)
• Front Desk/Waiting Room Window

Reducing the spread of germs is no easy feat. Fortunately, Nichols has the products and solutions you need to get the job done, including disinfectants and sanitizers, face masks, latex and nitrile gloves, and much more. Trust Nichols to help your healthcare facility break the chain of infection this cold and flu season!