[John-paul]

Reflection question: Effective cleaning and disinfection practices reduce the risk of transmission of infections to health care workers and patients. What can you do at your workplace to support effective cleaning and disinfection?

[Diane]

Making sure all staff are up to date on education and understand what areas are in isolation or condition of floor such as “experiencing upper respiratory,” able to educate clients, taking time to explain proper technics such as proper hand washing , audits on each staff allow room for questions, take time to speak with those who are experiencing S/S MRSA C-DIFF COLDS,COUGHS.
Ensure that all those who work on a unit including other departments up to date conditions on your floor, housekeeping are cleaning high touch areas, provide ABHS before entering d/r areas, in entrances of rooms, staff areas, proper signage is available and visible, ABHS in public washroom along with signage for public, educating families when visiting.

[Ibikemi]

Hello Diane, Thank you for sharing these important points. On my own part, I believe compliance is the keyword, and where there is a human being, compliance is 50/50. Ongoing staff education and clear communication about isolation status and unit conditions are essential for effective infection prevention. I agree that taking time to educate staff, residents, and families on proper hand hygiene and PPE use—while allowing space for questions during audits—strengthens compliance. Ensuring all departments, including housekeeping, are informed and that high-touch areas are cleaned regularly, along with visible signage and accessible ABHS, plays a key role in preventing the spread of infections such as MRSA, C. diff, and respiratory illnesses.

[Amanda]

I couldn’t agree more with your response. Putting all these practices and policies in place can only go so far. Educating staff and ensuring compliance is key in helping spread infections. Audits can help staff ensure they are performing techniques correctly and correct what needs to be corrected. It can also determine is more education is needed.

[Ibikemi]

By following cleaning protocols consistently, using correct disinfectants for the task, and following contact times. Clean from clean to dirty areas to avoid the spread of germs. And, also extra attention must be paid to high surfaces like door handles, bed rails, keyboards and shared equipment.
By practicing good hand hygiene, encourage colleagues and patients to do the same by leading by example. and perform hand hygiene before and after patient contact, after removing gloves, and after touching high-touch surfaces.
Use of correct PPE involves wearing appropriate personal protective equipment. And also remove and dispose of PPE safely and perform hand hygiene afterward.
Report issues promptly by informing your supervisor if cleaning supplies, disinfectants or PPE are low or unavailable. Likewise, any spills or contamination, or areas that require immediate cleaning.
Attend infection prevention and cleaning training sessions. And keeping up-to-date with workplace policies.
Lastly, by promoting a culture of safety, by encouraging workers to follow cleaning and disinfection practices.

[Rachel]

Hi Ibikemi, I really like your answer its really thorough. One way to ensure that there is compliance with proper PPE is by completing audits while staff are donning and doffing. By doing so you can ensure that staff are using the proper PPE for the precaution and that they are donning and doffing in the correct order and preforming hand hygiene where it is necessary during this process. In doing so you can ensure that if staff are doing this incorrectly you can inform them where they need to fix in this process and educate them on why. By preforming these audits the IPAC manage can monitor trends and see where there needs to be improvements allowing them to be able to identify any problems and apply the necessary interventions to allow for improvement, For example in-service on when you need to preform hand hygiene during the donning and doffing process.

[Kimberly]

I can support effective cleaning and disinfection by consistently following infection prevention and control policies. This includes performing proper hand hygiene using soap and water or ABHR at appropriate times and ensuring that patient care equipment like blood pressure cuffs, wheelchairs and monitors are cleaned and disinfected between each use. I can also make sure that cleaning agents are used correctly by following the manufacturers contact time (most common 1 minute) and wearing appropriate PPE when cleaning. Also, educating patients and visitors about hand hygiene and maintaining a clean environment. By encouraging coworkers to follow proper cleaning and disinfection practices, I can help reduce the risk of infection transmission to both health care workers and patients.

[Tracey]

When starting my shift I always clean the desk, my computer work station and cart surfaces
Observe staff for compliance

[Rachel]

Hi Tracy, that’s great that you disinfect high touch surfaces at work, as because they are high touch surfaces they require to be cleaned more frequently ( at least once daily or more depending on your work place policy). By doing so you are reducing the spread of Microbes via contact with those surfaces. By observing staff for compliance you are ensuring that proper cleaning and disinfecting is being completed and that where there are any errors you can inform those staff members on how to properly clean and disinfect so that moving forward they know how to properly complete it, continuing to reduces the spread of microbes helping to better protect staff and residents.

[Margaret]

That’s a great way to reduce the risk of cross-contamination at the start of your shift. Observing and promoting staff compliance also helps reinforce a culture of accountability and infection prevention within the team.

[danait]

I reduce the risk of infection transmission to both healthcare workers and patients by complying proper hand hygiene practices, including the use of alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHRs) and hand washing with soap and water. I follow the four moments of hand hygiene during patient interactions. Medical equipment that is used for more than one patient is cleaned and disinfected between uses, and appropriate sterilization procedures are implemented. Single-use medical equipment is utilized in rooms requiring additional precautions. Biomedical waste protocols are followed when handling bodily fluids. Environmental services staff are notified upon patient discharge to ensure that rooms are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Common areas shared with other healthcare providers are routinely cleaned and disinfected. In addition, the appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including correct donning and doffing techniques, is consistently practiced.

[Adeyemi]

I make sure that I practice the four moments of hand hygiene before and after each resident environment contact to reduce microorganism transmission. I also make sure that I clean and disinfect equipment that I use such as Pulse oximeters, Vital signs machines are given a complete wipe down after each use with a resident since the equipment are shared between several residents in the unit. Single use equipment such as test strips are strictly used for single residents. When residents pass on, their beds are stripped and disinfected, while drawers , wardrobes and other furniture belonging to the home are also disinfected to prevent transmission of microorganism to new room occupants.

[Rebekah Joy]

In my LTC workplace, I support effective cleaning and disinfection by being mindful of my daily practices, such as cleaning shared equipment and high-touch surfaces before and after use. I make sure to use disinfectants properly and report areas that need attention. By setting a good example and staying aware, I help reduce the risk of infection for both residents and staff.

[Svetlana]

Cleaning and disinfection are huge part of protecting both health care workers and patients. Effective cleaning and disinfection work best when everyone understands their role, follows IPAC policies and supports one another. As IPAC team member I provide regular staff training on: cleaning techniques (focus on high-touch surfaces), product use(following the right products and procedures), infection risk.

[Jessica-lyn]

As a resource nurse in my job I am always making sure that staff have all PPE needed and always have cleaning supplies at the ready. The worst is having some sort of mess and not having the supplies close by to clean it. I always make sure I am up to date on IPAC and cleaning procedures, and often make sure to talk with staff about IPAC and sure they are also educated.

[Rachel]

What I can do to help support cleaning and disinfection in the work place is by putting up signage around my nursing home where cleaning and disinfection would need to take place as a reminder for staff. For example for cleaning and disinfection for noncritical would be to have a sign on a vitals machine reminding staff to clean and disinfect the vitals machine after each use, using disinfectant wipes.

[Munazzah]

This is an excellent strategy. A signage, as a visual reminder can be very effective placed new high and low touch areas to prevent HAIs. It is also a good idea to remind staff of the contact time needed for surfaces to be properly disinfected. Overall, your suggestion supports accountability and contributes positively to infection prevention efforts.

[Munazzah]

To support effective cleaning and disinfection in my workplace, I can ensure that both I and staff consistently follow established cleaning protocols, including adhering to cleaning schedules and using the appropriate equipment, tools, and disinfectants correctly. It is also important to routinely check the expiry dates of cleaning agents, as this step can easily be overlooked during busy shifts.

Preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) is a shared responsibility among all staff, not just environmental services personnel, and proper hand hygiene remains the most effective way to prevent the spread of infection. Additionally, advocating for ongoing education and training for all staff members helps reinforce best practices and serves as an important reminder of our collective role in infection prevention.

[Marilyn]

HI Munazzah,

I completely agree. Consistently following established cleaning protocols, including adhering to schedules and using the correct equipment and disinfectants properly, is essential for maintaining a safe and hygienic environment. Other measures, like checking expiry dates on cleaning agents, are a simple but critical step that can easily be missed during busy shifts, yet it directly impacts the effectiveness of disinfection.

You’re right, we all have a role to play in preventing healthcare-associated infections is a shared responsibility. It’s not solely the role of environmental services—every staff member plays a part. Proper hand hygiene remains the single most effective measure to reduce the spread of infection, and reinforcing this practice across all disciplines is vital.

Do you think anything else could be done?

[Sheila]

You made excellent points. I especially agree that checking expiry dates of cleaning agents is often overlooked but very important. Reinforcing that infection prevention is everyone’s responsibility, not just environmental services, and promoting ongoing education really helps strengthen a culture of safety and accountability.

[Margaret]

As a community RPN, I support effective cleaning and disinfection by practicing proper hand hygiene, using appropriate PPE, and disinfecting all reusable equipment between clients. I also educate patients and families about keeping care areas clean and safely disposing of waste. By consistently following infection control guidelines and addressing concerns promptly, I help reduce the risk of infection for both clients and myself.

[Amanda]

What can I do at my workplace to support effective cleaning and disinfection?

I can follow proper cleaning/disinfecting procedures and ensure company policies are being followed. When using cleaning/disinfecting solutions ensure the right products are being used. Follow labels to ensure proper contact time, etc. Clean high contact surfaces more frequently.

I can participate in ongoing training and information sessions on cleaning and disinfecting. Share my knowledge with new oncoming staff and correct where errors occur.

Ensure signage and PPE is being followed to prevent the spread of infection.

It’s important to work as a team and communicate amongst team members to make sure proper protocols are being followed.

[Adeyemi]

Hi Amanda, I like your opening statement about what you can do to support effective cleaning and disinfection. In my place of work, I make sure that I give my cart a complete wipe down with alcohol wipes before and after my shift. I also make sure that shared equipment are wiped with the appropriate cleansing material after each use. I encourage staff under my supervision to wipe high contact surfaces such as tables in the resident’s rooms, and also to make sure that soiled linen are disposed of properly and in a timely mannetr.

[Sheila]

As a community nurse, I can support effective cleaning and disinfection by consistently cleaning and disinfecting reusable equipment between clients, performing hand hygiene before and after each visit, and using appropriate PPE. I also ensure disinfectant wipes and supplies are readily available in my nursing kit, follow agency IPAC guidelines, and reinforce proper cleaning practices with colleagues to promote accountability and patient safety.

[Author]

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