Healthcare and long-term care facilities know that providing patients with a sanitary environment is key to preventing contamination and healthcare-associated infection (HAI). During cold and flu season, there is an even greater risk of spreading germs and viruses among patients and staff. Maintaining a safe, sanitary facility requires an extensive sanitation and disinfecting program with specialized cleaning products.
5 Tips for Cold & Flu Prevention
To keep your patients safe this cold and flu season, ensure your staff use these helpful tips:
- Confirm staff is properly trained on handwashing techniques, using hand soap and water, and provide paper towels to remove additional bacteria. Encourage staff to finish by applying hand sanitizer.
- Have personal protective equipment (PPE), such as disposable gloves, safety goggles and masks, readily available for staff.
- Provide cleaning staff with ADA-compliant, hospital-grade sanitizers and disinfectants and disinfecting wipes to sanitize commonly-touched surfaces.
- Safely contain, transport and process used linens, clothes and other laundry to prevent the spread of infection via air, surfaces, patients and staff.
- Install hand sanitizer dispensers at building entrances, in hallways, at nurse stations and outside restrooms.
