You First Services Research Scientist
This week marks the 35th Annual International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW). Established in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan, this weeklong recognition was created to highlight the importance of infection prevention and to help keep healthcare professionals, administrators, legislators, and consumers updated each year on how they can personally contribute and maintain proper prevention. Every successive year has its own individual theme or focus and this year it’s “Make Your Intention Infection Prevention”. This theme was chosen to call attention to the science behind infection prevention and how we can use this knowledge to inspire individuals to support infection preventionists.
Infection preventionists (IPs) are professionals who make sure healthcare workers and patients are meeting all the proper requirements in place to prevent infections. IPs play a crucial role in keeping the population safe, healthy, and thriving. Most IPs are healthcare professionals such as nurses, epidemiologists, microbiologists, and doctors, who work to prevent bacteria and viruses from spreading within healthcare facilities. These individuals are on a constant lookout to identify patterns of infection within their facility, when detected they then work to advise how prevention can be achieved, thereby resulting in reduced occurrence of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
HAIs are infections that patients can contract while receiving treatment for medical or surgical conditions within a healthcare facility. HAI’s pose a significant threat to patient safety and in response most healthcare facilities have made the prevention and reduction of these infections a top priority. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 75,000 deaths associated with HAIs will occur each year. This number is highly concerning, especially when considering the fact that a majority of HAI are preventable.
There are three main elements that lead to the transmission of infection within a healthcare setting:
The way in which HAIs can be best prevented is by focusing on these 3 elements, especially 1 and 3 since the state of the host (2) is most often unavoidable. The source and transmission of the infecting microorganism need to be properly eliminated. IPs are in place to better identify the source and to develop practices that will best limit transmission. The obvious practices include washing hands and maintaining proper personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves and surgical masks/gowns. However, studies have revealed that most HAIs are associated with contaminated medical devices. Careful cleaning and disinfection of medical devices are essential to assuring infection prevention and patient safety. Unfortunately, traditional manual disinfectants are often sub-optimal when it comes to effective protection against the spread of pathogens. Such disinfectants are not able to fully penetrate and disinfect hard-to-reach areas, and often leave behind a film of residue. This results in inconsistent device disinfection and increased transmission of infection. However, we are pleased to report that this inconsistency can be addressed with the use of GloTran™.
GloTran™ is an automated disinfection system based on cold plasma disinfection technology. GloTran™ has the ability to penetrate into hard-to-reach areas and mated surfaces. The gas plasma also removes all residues and detoxifies contaminants. The treatment is dry and cool, safe for many non-critical devices and electronics that cannot be treated with wet or high-temperature disinfection methods. The process is automated and effortless and delivers consistent results.
It is true that Infection Preventionists in the healthcare system are professionally qualified, however, that does not mean that individuals outside of the healthcare system cannot support and contribute to this cause. There are various preventive measures that any individual can easily implement in their everyday lives. These prevention measures consist of but are not limited to the following:
You may be thinking these measures are common knowledge, we all know these measures should be taken, but are we actually practicing them? So, our challenge to you is to be mindful of your actions and dedicate this week to this year’s theme and make every intention of infection prevention! Even better, after this week, try adhering to these measures all year round, and together we can all support infection preventionists… in the end everyone benefits.
As with any form of disinfection, you should be aware of the pros and cons in order to make an informed decision on whether GloTran is a fit for your business.
For staff and residents alike, electronics like tablets and smart devices have become commonplace in care facilities, allowing for quick access to critical patient information and providing the ability to monitor visitors and residents inside their facility.
As with any form of disinfection, you should be aware of the pros and cons in order to make an informed decision on whether GloTran is a fit for your business.
GloTran™ is developed by EQM Technologies, Inc., a division of You First Services, Inc.
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