Sponsored CLOROX HEALTHCARE /ARKRAY USA
Don’t let your customers be part of that crowd.
Every healthcare setting is a place of healing. Ironically, it is also a gathering spot for infectious agents, which can threaten the well-being of residents. That’s particularly true in the long-term care setting.
In the United States, more than 15,700 long-term care facilities serve more than 1 million residents.2 The residents and staff in these facilities have an increased risk of infection due to the unique challenges in the care setting and the resident population. The estimated prevalence of infections among nursing home residents ranges anywhere from 1.4 to 5.2 per 1,000 resident care days, which translates to 765,000 to 2.8 million infections annually.3,4 Healthcare-associated infections account for as many as 380,000 deaths annually.5
Infectious agents may be found on the instruments of healing themselves – reusable medical devices, such as the blood glucose meter.
Somewhere between 25 percent and 34 percent of long-term-care residents are estimated to have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Each one of them needs regular testing with a glucometer, such as the ARKRAY Assure® Platinum blood glucose monitoring system.
Here’s the challenge: Blood glucose meters can become contaminated with bloodborne pathogens, such as hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); as well as the bacteria Clostridium difficile, or C. diff. Transmission of these pathogens from resident to resident has been documented due to contaminated blood glucose devices.
Cleaning and disinfecting of meters with Clorox Healthcare® Bleach Germicidal Wipes or Dispatch® Hospital Cleaner Disinfectant Towels with Bleach after each use for individual resident care can prevent the transmission of these pathogens. Even if your customer uses one meter per resident, staff still should clean and disinfect it every time it is used.
Failure to do so could result in a citation for failure to comply with CMS F-Tag 880, a guideline for infection control programs in long-term care facilities. Worse, it can put residents in harm’s way.
The good news is, there’s not much guesswork involved in cleaning and disinfecting medical instruments. Simply follow instructions, that is, the Directions for Use listed on the disinfectant manufacturer’s label as well as the IFU that comes with each medical device.
“It is crucial that the glucometer manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning are followed,” says Doe Kley, RN, CIC, MPH candidate, senior infection preventionist for disinfectant manufacturer Clorox Healthcare. “It is equally important to adhere to the directions for use of the selected disinfectant, in particular, the contact time.
“Typically, the glucometer manufacturers have tested and approved certain disinfectants, proven to be compatible with their devices, and these disinfectants are listed in their cleaning instructions. Adherence to manufacturer instructions can also protect product warranties.”
Help your customers look out for infection among their residents with diabetes. Recommend Clorox Healthcare bleach-based products for their glucometers.
- Herzig CT, Stone PW, Castle N, Pogorzelska-Maziarz M, Larson EL, Dick AW. Infection prevention and control programs in US nursing homes: results of a national survey. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2016;17(1):85-88. [PubMed]
- Harris-Kojetin L, Sengupta M, Park-Lee E, Valverde R. Long-term care services in the United States: 2013 overview. Vital Health Stat 3. 2013(37):1-107. [PubMed]
- Tsan L, Davis C, Langberg R, et al. Prevalence of nursing home-associated infections in the Department of Veterans Affairs nursing home care units. Am J Infect Control. 2008;36(3):173-179. [PubMed]
- Tsan L, Davis C, Langberg R, et al. Prevalence of nursing home-associated infections in the Department of Veterans Affairs nursing home care units. Am J Infect Control. 2008;36(3):173-179. [PubMed]
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Action Plan To Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections: Road Map to Elimination. Chapter 8, Long-Term Care Facilities. April 2013.