Unit 031

Unit 031
Cleaning, decontamination and waste management

The general principles for environmental cleaning are to prevent the spread of infection and reduce the risk of transmission between patients via reusable medical devices and other equipment, environment correct linen and waste disposal.
The purpose of a cleaning schedule is to show what has been cleaned, how it has been cleaned, who has done the cleaning also when it has been cleaned. The schedule proves that everything has been cleaned in order to maintain the ward and equipment clean and in a sanitary condition. Examples of this at ward level are the bed check cleaning list, commode cleaning schedule.
The correct management of environment of the environment minimise the spread of
Green – kitchen areas
Yellow – isolation areas.
The three steps of decontamination process are –
Cleaning which physically removes dirt, dust and grease and body fluids using hospital approved general purpose detergent for example mattress
Disinfection is a process which reduces the number of micro-organisms to a level which are not harmful disinfection can be achieved either by heat or by chemical means. Example of this chor cleaning commodes.
Sterilisation is a process that destroys all micro-organisms.
At H.D.F.T. sterilisation can only be achieved by steam sterilisation this is used for non-disposable equipment which are deemed to be high risk as they are used in close contact with break in the skin or mucas membrane.
Cleaning can be used in low risk items which are in contact with intact skin and items which are not in direct contact with the patient’s for example wash bowls and pillows which are covered by pillow cases.
Disinfection can be used for medium risk items such as commodes which can carry micro-organisms such as c-diff which can be destroyed by normal cleaning but require disinfection by chor clean.
Sterilisation as mentioned before is used for items which are deemed high
The risk in dealing with specific types of contamination are becoming ill because I am dealing with illness that spread through droplets,airbourne or contaminated linen that are not disposed of in the correct manor such as red bags. Low risk areas are bathrooms,equipment,hoists,medium risk toilets, commodes infectious patients, high risk re-usable equipment that comes into contact with patients.
When choosing agents in relation to the level of risk I must assess the risk the different agents that are used are low level risk I would use water and detergent, medium level risk disinfectants and for high risk it would be sterilization.
Equipment should always cleaned straight after use I would use chor-clean or a alcohol wipe always put a label on it to state that I have cleaned the equipment and the time I cleaned it, I always put equipment back from where I got it from making sure it is in a safe places not to cause harm such as tripping over.
The different categories of waste are infectious and non-infectious waste such as linen if not disposed of in the correct manor it could spread infections which could lead to a outbreak disposal of p.p.e,blades and Sharpe