Infection Control Challenges with Reusable Positioning Products

One of the major challenges faced in healthcare settings is preventing the spread of infections among patients. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are estimated to affect hundreds of thousands of patients in the US each year. Reusable medical devices and equipment pose a risk of cross-contamination if not properly disinfected between each patient use. Patient positioning products like arm boards, leg positioners, and wedge pillows come into direct contact with patients' skin and tissues during procedures. Ensuring these surfaces are thoroughly disinfected can be difficult with reusable products. Spaulding classifications recommend single-use products for items that directly contact patients' mucous membranes or enter sterile body areas. However, many hospitals still rely on reusable positioning aids that must be cleaned and disinfected between uses.

Challenges with Cleaning and Disinfecting Reusable Products

Even with strict protocols in place, it can be nearly impossible to fully disinfect reusable positioning aids. Organic residues and bodily fluids like blood, tissue, and fluids may remain on the device's surfaces after cleaning. Porous materials especially harbor pathogens that are difficult to remove. Disinfectants may not penetrate crevices to kill all microbes. Studies have found reusable positioning devices still carry bacteria even after going through recommended cleaning and disinfection procedures. The devices themselves can develop small cracks and defects over multiple cleanings that harbor microbes. Ensuring each step of the cleaning process is followed correctly by staff is challenging as well. A single missed or inadequate step puts subsequent patients at risk. These risks are alleviated with single-use disposable positioning products that are discarded after one use, eliminating recontamination potential.

Limiting Exposure and Risk with Single-Use Devices

Single Use Disposable Patient Positioning Products provide a very effective way to limit the spread of infections in healthcare settings. Made from materials like lightweight foams or fabrics, these devices are used for one patient only and then discarded. This “use and dispose” model eliminates any possibility of devices becoming contaminated and transmitting pathogens between patients. No cleaning or disinfection steps are needed either, streamlining workflows for clinical staff. Disposable products also help ensure consistent high levels of cleanliness compared to reusable items that can harbor microbes even after cleaning. For patients undergoing surgery or other invasive procedures where infection risks are heightened, disposable positioning aids offer crucial protection against exposure to persistent bacteria or viruses on reusable equipment. They provide the highest standard of sterility assurance for procedures near mucous membranes or breaching the skin barrier.

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