J U L Y 2 0 2 0 • O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y . N E T • 7 3
B
elieve it or not,
there is some
good news
about the coro-
navirus. It's an
enveloped virus, meaning it's
very easy to kill on hard sur-
faces. Of course, there are a lot
of surfaces to clean in your
facility and the virus can live
on every one of them for sev-
eral days. As your facility
resumes elective surgeries dur-
ing this historic pandemic,
here are a few tips for improving your surface disinfection practices
in order to protect patients and staff from COVD-19.
1. Set clear expectations
Now's a great time to observe and audit your surface disinfection
processes. "Think about all the stainless steel and plastic in operating
rooms," says J. Darrel Hicks, BA, Master REH, CHESP, a St. Louis-
based infection prevention consultant. "That's where COVID-19 lives
longest. It remains on every surface that doesn't get properly cleaned
and disinfected."
Don't leave any stone unturned (or uncleaned, in this case.) "You
need to know what is actually being cleaned during OR turnovers,"
says Mr. Hicks. "That's done through observation, but also I believe
Joe Paone | Senior Associate Editor
No Surface Left Untouched
Cleaning protocols carry added importance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CHECK THE LABEL Due to shortages, you'll likely need to switch
disinfectants at a moment's notice — which makes reading the
manufacturer's instructions for use vital.
