Terminal cleaning
| Terminal cleaning | |
|---|---|
| A man using a spray bottle to clean a hospital toilet Non-flammable alcohol vapor in carbon dioxide systems being used as the final step in sanitizing a swing-out toilet in a hospital ER exam room | |
| Specialty | {{#Statements:p1995}} |
Terminal cleaning is the thorough cleaning of a room after use, used in healthcare environments to control the spread of infections.
Justification
[edit | edit source]Nosocomial infections claim approximately 90,000 lives in the United States annually. When patients are hospitalized and identified as having methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or infections that can be spread to other patients, best practices isolate these patients in rooms that are subjected to terminal cleaning when the patient is discharged.[citation needed]
For example, terminal cleaning reduces the spread of C. difficile infections.[1]
Procedure
[edit | edit source]Terminal cleaning requires cleaning the entire room after use by the patient.[2] Methods vary, but involve disinfection of all surfaces and discarding all disposable items and cleaning rags or towels as medical waste.[2]
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]Further reading
[edit | edit source]- Environmental Cleaning Procedures
- Reinigungsmittel (in German)
