"Realistically, that can't
always happen.
"Top to bottom cleaning
isn't required," she continues.
"Wipe down the high-touch
surfaces — doorknobs, the
toilet seat, the sink levers. It
only takes a few minutes to
do."
Waiting rooms present
another cleaning challenge.
"You can't spring into action
as soon as someone sets a
coffee cup down on a table,"
says Mr. Hicks. "But some-
one should be cleaning the
area routinely." During
breaks, staffers should imme-
diately think of heading to
the waiting room to disinfect
doorknobs and other high-
touch surfaces.
Seeing is believing
In the COVID-19 era, fearful patients and even some staff are far
more aware of cleanliness than ever before. Surgical facilities not
only need to provide a safe environment, but also show everyone
who enters that they are serious about it. This performative aspect
of cleaning reassures patients and staff that the situation is being
addressed and taken seriously.
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 7
STEEL AWAY COVID-19 can live for days on stainless steel and plastic,
materials that are in abundance at surgical facilities.
