Environmental Hygiene Issues in the Hospital: The Operating Room and the ICU

Article

Patients can be at their most vulnerable when they are in a critical care environment of the operating room (OR) or the intensive care unit (ICU). That's why it's essential that these two areas of the hospital receive scrupulous environmental cleaning and disinfection per recommended practices. This Pulse explores environmental cleaning and disinfection issues pertaining to the OR and the ICU.

Issue Summary

Patients can be at their most vulnerable when they are in a critical care environment of the operating room (OR) or the intensive care unit (ICU). That's why it's essential that these two areas of the hospital receive scrupulous environmental cleaning and disinfection per recommended practices. This Pulse explores environmental cleaning and disinfection issues pertaining to the OR and the ICU.

Table of Contents

  • The Operating Room (OR)
  • The Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
  • The Prior-Occupant Issue

Takeaways for Your Business

  • Thorough, routine cleaning of high-touch objects is an effective approach to limiting transmission of pathogens
  • Environmental cleaning and disinfection helps eliminate the potential for cross-contamination of objects and surfaces
  • Proper procedure is critical because pathogens are left behind by prior occupants of patient-care areas
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Cleaning and sanitizing surfaces in hospitals  (Adobe Stock 339297096 by Melinda Nagy)
Set of white bottles with cleaning liquids on the white background. (Adobe Stock 6338071172112 by zolnierek)
Association for the Health Care Environment (Logo used with permission)
Woman lying in hospital bed (Adobe Stock, unknown)
Photo of a model operating room. (Photo courtesy of Indigo-Clean and Kenall Manufacturing)
Mona Shah, MPH, CIC, FAPIC, Construction infection preventionist  (Photo courtesy of Mona Shah)
UV-C Robots by OhmniLabs.  (Photo from OhmniLabs website.)
CDC  (Adobe Stock, unknown)
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