Despite routine disinfection, hospital surfaces, such as stretchers, remain reservoirs for harmful microbes, according to several recent studies. From high-touch areas to damaged mattresses and the effectiveness of antimicrobial coatings, researchers continue to uncover persistent risks in environmental hygiene, highlighting the critical need for innovative, continuous disinfection strategies in health care settings.
Stretcher and HAIs
(Image courtesy of author through AI)
Patient stretchers are the workhorses of every hospital, shuttling patients between departments, procedures, and nursing units. But how clean are these high-touch surfaces, really? Mounting evidence suggests that even with routine cleaning, stretchers, and especially their rails and mattresses, can harbor a surprising and potentially dangerous array of microbes, including pathogens responsible for health care-associated infections (HAIs).
Recent studies have shown that hospital surfaces, including stretchers, remain contaminated, even after standard disinfection procedures. Chatterjee et al1 found that high-touch surfaces like bed rails, workstations, and simulation manikins routinely harbored a diverse mix of bacteria, including known human pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella aerogenes. Alarmingly, about half of the bacteria found on these surfaces were also detected in clinical samples from patients, underscoring the real risk of cross-transmission.
A pilot randomized controlled trial in an emergency department found that 28.1% of high-touch stretcher rails exceeded the contamination threshold of 2.5 colony-forming units per square centimeter (CFU/cm²) despite routine cleaning.2 Notably, MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) was detected on more than 20% of rails even after cleaning and before patient use. This highlights the persistent challenge of maintaining the safety of these surfaces, particularly in fast-paced, high-turnover environments such as the emergency department.
It’s not just the rails; stretcher mattresses themselves are often overlooked reservoirs for bacteria. Marks et al3 found that over 32% of inspected mattresses in Canadian acute care hospitals had visible damage, with stretchers showing even higher rates than beds. Damaged surfaces cannot be properly disinfected, allowing fluids and pathogens to penetrate and persist. This creates a hidden risk for every patient transported on a compromised stretcher.
Contaminated stretchers can act as mobile vectors, spreading pathogens from one patient to another and across different hospital departments. Studies have linked contaminated surfaces to increased rates of HAIs, and the presence of multidrug-resistant organisms on stretchers is a particular concern for vulnerable patients.4
What Can Be Done?
Your stretcher may appear visually clean, but research suggests it could still be contaminated even after routine disinfection. Damaged surfaces and lapses in cleaning only amplify the risk of contamination. Health care facilities must remain vigilant, combining rigorous cleaning, maintenance, and monitoring to ensure every patient transport is as safe as possible.
References
Broadening the Path: Diverse Educational Routes Into Infection Prevention Careers
July 4th 2025Once dominated by nurses, infection prevention now welcomes professionals from public health, lab science, and respiratory therapy—each bringing unique expertise that strengthens patient safety and IPC programs.
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
Broadening the Path: Diverse Educational Routes Into Infection Prevention Careers
July 4th 2025Once dominated by nurses, infection prevention now welcomes professionals from public health, lab science, and respiratory therapy—each bringing unique expertise that strengthens patient safety and IPC programs.
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
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