Dekomed are committed to working with care homes to ensure the highest standards of infection control and prevention are met. Our aim is to ensure that care homes remain safe places to live and work.
Infections can spread due to the regular mixing of residents, carers and visitors. Like with any shared living space, infection can spread much more easily.
This is dangerous because, for people living in care homes, infections can be serious, sometimes life-threatening. Infections can also make pre-existing medical conditions worse.
To keep everyone safe, cleaning procedures and infection control programmes need to be robust.
It appears that handwashing, the use of PPE and the safe disposal of sharps are prioritised by the majority of care homes in Britain.
How is your care home cleaning its reusable bedpans?
If you are still washing them by hand, you need to read on.
According to the National Public Health Service for Wales, bedpan washer disinfectors are much more reliable than chemical methods and should be used wherever possible.
Why does handwashing bedpans pose such a big risk?
There are many reasons why we recommend not washing bedpans by hand. Human waste is hazardous and contains both viruses and bacteria that can cause serious illness if spread. If cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilisation isn’t carried out properly, the risk of infection increases significantly.
What are the risks?
- When handwashing, water cannot reach the desired temperature of 80°c. This is the temperature needed to kill or denature bacteria.
- Manual washing isn’t in a confined area, meaning microbes can be aerosolised, endangering healthcare professionals who may inhale them.
- If bedpans aren’t cleaned properly or contaminated water splashes, infections can spread onto surfaces, including sinks and drainers.
- If uniforms become contaminated during the cleaning process, they become a vector and can spread to anyone who comes in close contact.
Take Clostridium difficile as an example. This is a bacteria found in the digestive system, but it turns into resistant cells called spores once it’s outside of the body. These spores can survive for long periods on surfaces such as toilets and bedpans, so if these items are not cleaned properly, outbreaks can quickly occur.
The benefits of a washer disinfector
- Using an automated washer ensures all reusable items are cleaned, disinfected and sterilised, ensuring they are safe to reuse.
- Multiple bedpans and urine pots can be washed together, saving staff time.
- The machines dispose of waste safely, and there is no chance of cross-contamination or aerosolisation of harmful bacteria
- Pre-programmed cycles available so you can guarantee the correct cleaning processes are met every time
- A user interface displays information, so you know that optimal temperatures have been met and, therefore, bacteria have been killed.
- Rotating and fixing jet sprays ensure all surfaces are targeted, and bedpans are not left contaminated.
Experts in Cleaning
Dekomed has worked with healthcare settings for over 30 years. We provide top-of-the-range washer disinfectors and the after-care support needed to ensure that care homes and other health care settings remain clean and safe.
Our range of washers are manufactured in Finland by FRANKE Medical OY, and we offer a variety of washer disinfectors dependent on your requirements.
We can help you select the perfect machine, install it for you and will provide a maintenance service to ensure your appliances work hard for you for a long time.
For more information about how we can help you set up an automated washing system, give us a call.
Tel: +44 (0)161 483 7333