As patients are discharged from your facility, the room they leave behind is cleaned and prepped for a new patient. Not only does this process create a welcoming environment, it helps protect patients from the risk of potential cross-contamination.
Cross-contamination spreads HAIs.
Ask any EVS practitioner what their role is in patient care and they will tell you that they work hard to ensure the facility is properly disinfected to protect patients and employees. What they may not always realize is that just one contaminated surface has potential to lead to healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), a major cause of patient morbidity and mortality.
Know what the patient pillow’s role is in infection prevention.
Patient rooms include many surfaces that could harbor harmful pathogens that lead to HAI’s. Although strict cleaning procedures help guide employees on how to disinfect surfaces and linens, there’s one potential source that is frequently overlooked: patient pillows.
Patients spend most of their time in their beds during a hospital stay. When dangerous pathogens are present, poorly-maintained reusable patient pillows pose a cross-contamination risk for patients and staff alike. Inconsistency in disinfection technique, pillow care, and possible cleaning solution ineffectiveness make it difficult to completely clean and sterilize patient pillows after every use. A contaminated pillow could lead to cross-contamination from pillow to patient, pillow to employee to patient, or even pillow to employee to fellow employee…the possible spread is endless.
FreshStart® Personal Pillows reduce risk.
In section VI of the Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health Care Facilities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using disposable patient care items wherever possible to minimize cross-contamination risk when special pathogens are present. Encompass Group LLC offers FreshStart® Personal Pillows, which set the quality and performance standards for disposable pillows. Your patients will find maximum comfort on these single-patient-use pillows with breathable non-woven covers, and employees will be confident that they are providing the safest environment possible by reducing pillow cross-contamination concerns.
Designing, building and delivering the highest quality healthcare pillows and bedding items continues to define our mission and has for more than 30 years. Our trusted products are made in the USA and include the broadest and most beneficial choices for patient care.That’s the reason Encompass Group is the market leader in healthcare pillows.
Partner with us to provide the right balance of comfort, safety and performance. Call 1-800-245-4636 or email me today to hear more about FreshStart® Personal Pillows and the other pillows offered in our extensive product line.
