Figure 5-1. Furniture after disinfection.
(5) All floors should be wet-vacuumed. If wet-vacuuming equipment is not
available, floors should be mopped with fresh germicidal detergent solution using a
double-bucket technique.
(6) Grossly soiled areas on walls should be washed with germicidal
detergent solution.
(7) Disinfectant fogging should not be used. It is an unsatisfactory method
of decontaminating air or surfaces.
(8) Airing a room from which a patient has been discharged is not an
effective terminal disinfection procedure and is not necessary. The only exception is
that if the room does not have an adequate artificial ventilation system or functioning
exhaust fan, a 1 to 2 hour airing period with windows open and doors closed may be
used before terminal cleaning.
c. Special Instruments. If possible, instruments should be returned to be
disinfected or sterilized. They should be either single or double-bagged and marked
before they leave the patient's area. All reusable breathing circuits and humidification
devices used with inhalation therapy equipment should be wrapped and returned to
Central Supply for reprocessing.
d. Special Procedure Trays. Trays should be separated into component parts
and handled as indicated.
e. Isolation Carts. Some institutions use special isolation carts prestocked with
all necessary equipment for all classes of isolation or separate isolation carts for each
class of isolation. These can be wheeled to the area where a patient in isolation is
located. They must be cleaned frequently and kept adequately stocked with all
necessary supplies.
MD0540
5-10