11 July 2008
Tape around hospital beds provides reassurance about cleanliness to patients
Patients admitted to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford now have visible reassurance that their bed area has been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
Between the discharge of one patient and the admission of another, the nursing staff thoroughly clean the bed space, including the furniture and making the bed. When this has been done, the member of staff responsible for the preparation places a tape across the turned down top sheet on the bed. They seal the tape, sign and date it.
The new initiative was the idea of staff on the vascular ward, B7, at Broomfield Hospital, led by Sister Jennifer Bryant. This was in response to a drive by the Trust to find ideas to ensure patients areas are always thoroughly cleaned and that cleaning standards are consistent throughout the hospital.
Mr Tom Browne, Consultant Vascular Surgeon, said:” Hospital cleanliness, and reducing hospital acquired infections, such as MRSA, are top priorities for the Trust. This initiative demonstrates to the patient that their bed space has been thoroughly cleaned for their benefit. It is the patient’s responsibility to break the seal on the tape that has been placed around the top sheet before they use it. It is very similar to what is expected in hotels when a new guest arrives. As it is the responsibility of the person who made the bed to sign the tape to say it is clean, this gives them a sense of pride in their work and reassures our patients.”
Graham Cox, a patient from Braintree who was on ward B7 where they were piloting the initiative, said,” I think this is a great idea. It gives a good impression to the patient and provides them with reassurance that when they are admitted to the ward their bed has been thoroughly cleaned after the previous patient. I think this is especially important when there is so much in the news about hospital cleanliness.”
This new initiative is just one part of an action plan that has been introduced by the Trust to improve cleaning standards and ensure they are consistent throughout the hospitals. The Trust is investing £900,000 in cleaning, which includes recruiting more cleaning staff and increasing the amount of cleaning time allocated to the wards. The Trust has also appointed a nurse consultant to oversee infection prevention with the hospitals.
ENDS
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