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Background
Our healthcare system is comprised of eleven hospitals and over 300 ambulatory sites
with various practice settings. Staff are required to frequently clean and disinfect
surfaces and patient care equipment. A review of disinfectant wipes used by clinical
staff at all locations identified a variety of available products and uses. Some locations
had multiple types of disinfectant wipes, causing confusion amongst staff regarding
which product to use and dwell times, which was particularly highlighted during the
pandemic. This review confirmed the need to standardize to one disinfectant wipe clinical
staff would use on surfaces and patient care equipment at all locations.
Methods
An extensive review of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved disinfectant
wipes was conducted and a comparison table was created to include: active ingredients,
kill claims and dwell times. Literature on the selection of the ideal disinfectant
wipe was reviewed and the criteria to select the best wipe was set.
Results
Criteria to select the wipe was based on literature review and included: highest kill
claims, one-step disinfection, short dwell time, compatibility with common medical
equipment, ease of use and safest for patients and staff. A total of fourteen disinfectant
wipes with varying active ingredients and concentrations were compared. Dwell times
ranged from 1-10 minutes. Of the 14 wipes reviewed three had the safest designated
EPA category of IV and one of these had the most kill claims and greatest compatibility
with our current medical equipment.
Conclusions
A prioritized need for consistent practices and products in our growing healthcare
system was highlighted during the SARS CoV-2 pandemic. Utilizing a wipe that is one-step
disinfection, has short dwell times, requires minimum PPE and is compatible with our
medical equipment was key to choosing the most effective product for staff use.
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Copyright
© 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc.
