As soon as you hear your workmate wheezing, sneezing or coughing, you out-rightly know it’s game over for the rest of the office. It is even worse at the clinic since you expect patients to come in with a slowly building up flu. Any surface at the hospital setting could be a hot spot for germs to breed and multiply, including the patients’ tablets at the reception. Unfortunately, without proper precautions set, anyone coming into contact with the clinic could be in trouble. Looking at the bright side, it doesn’t have to be that way. Following are seven quick tips that should help your clinic stay germ-free.
Set up a well-trained sanitary and care team
Every employee at the clinic has a job to do. Ensure that you have professional cleaners in your care team to help keep all spots clean 24/7. Your care team should be adequately trained on keeping up with sanitation standards, particularly in hospital settings and equipment. Ensure that they are all vaccinated against infectious diseases such as flu as they come across a lot of germs during their daily duties. They should also be appropriately dressed in protective gear when cleaning the clinic and discarding trash.
Set weekly deep sanitizing days
Surfaces such as doorknobs, soap and hand sanitizers, chairs, and tablets host all types of germs. Although it’s not possible to have them cleaned daily, ensure that you set a mandatory weekly in-depth sanitizing schedule. Ensure that your clinic is disinfected to kill off all these germs and replace supplies such as hand soap and wipes regularly.
Ensure that there is clean and running tap water throughout
You can catch and spread germs just by touching something or someone with germs. You could then infect yourself with the bacteria by touching your nose, mouth, or eyes. Be sure to set taps and sinks strategically and in sufficient spots for both the staff and patients to wash their hands regularly. Encourage this habit by putting up scented soap dispensers and clean disinfection wipes.
Educate your workers on the 6-foot distance rule
Your clinic will receive all kinds of people, some with mild colds and others deeply infected with strange diseases. Germs can spread as far as 2 meters through the air when someone coughs or sneezes. Train your workers to wear masks when handling patients. You may also educate them on staying six feet away from anyone with an infection when they aren’t treating them.
Use disposable paper covers for the exam table
The exam table is yet another popular breeding point for germs. Since it wouldn’t be economical to change exam tables for each patient that comes in, consider installing disposable paper covers on the exam table. Clean the exam tables with disinfectant to get rid of germs between each patient and install a new cover.
Clean your nebulizer frequently
You could easily spread germs from one patient to another through the nebulizer. Most lung infections spread through the use of contaminated nebulizers. Patients with certain chronic respiratory conditions should have their own nebulizers to avoid spreading germs. However, if you patients need to share a nebulizer, consider:
- Throwing away disposable nebulizers after use.
- Cleaning and disinfecting the reusable or high-end technology nebulizer after use.
Get you and your employees vaccinated
Vaccinations are essential in giving your body added protection from germs such as the flu virus, which are notoriously communicable. Boost your immune system and that of your workers by staying up to date on your vaccinations. You could make it a clinic policy for your staff to encourage them to follow suit and even make an effort to educate them on the importance of vaccinations. You and your team are always going to be exposed to germs and infections in the clinic. Get the right preventative measures and stay safe.
People will come to your clinic in search of healthcare services. You need to ensure that your clinic setting is up to standards by using these seven quick tips to keep up with the sanitary levels. Your favorite Amore Dentist is dedicated to keeping up with the ultimate cleanliness and germ-free status and even help you learn about keeping the germs at bay.