Exerpted from Infection Control Today magazine, August 2008 Vol. 12, No. 8
In a healthcare environment, contaminated environmental surfaces are often the vectors for multidrug-resistant organisms - especially those in the washroom.
Surfaces such as toilets, sinks, faucets and flushing handles, door handles, stall doors and paper towel dispensers all can pick up bacterium from unwashed hands, passing it along to the next user.
Studies have shown that even healthcare workers aren't always able to wash their hands as often or as effectively as necessary to prevent cross-contamination.
In fact, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement has indicated that compliance by healthcare workers with recommended hand-hygiene procedures has remained unacceptable, with compliance rates generally below 50 percent of hand-hygiene opportunities.
Even the most careful hand-washers are still at risk for contamination simply by touching a door handle used by someone who didn't wash. For many hospitals, creating a touchless environment has boosted the level of staff comfort concerning the washroom. In many places, a touchless environment allows them to use the facilities without touching even one surface from the time they enter the washroom to the time they exit.
"Touchless technology is a good idea, because hard surfaces are significant transfer points for bacteria and viruses," says Charles Gerba, PhD, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, Tucson. "Much of what people put down on a surface can be picked up by the next person who comes along, and in an age where people share more spaces and surfaces than ever before, touchless technology can help prevent cross-contamination."
Go to entire article at Infection Control Today magazine
