One of the things all patients want is to know that a hospital is clean. It is a hospital’s responsibility to clean as best as possible to prevent the spread of infection. It isn’t just surfaces that have to be cleaned; medical equipment, beds, sheets, sinks and other items all have to be cleaned regularly and with the right cleaning supplies.
Hospitals should use hospital-grade disinfectants when cleaning. Normal disinfectants may not be enough to prevent the spread of superbugs that develop in hospitals.
A major part of infection control is making sure that a hospital is sanitary. Patients should never see blood on the walls or bodily fluids on the floors. If there is a fluid of any kind that gets on a railing, wall or floor, it has to be cleaned immediately.
There are various kinds of disinfectants that hospitals can use including forms such as liquid disinfectant and disinfecting wipes. They are easy to use and available in forms that can be used in every single room in the hospital.
Another thing that has to happen is for nurses, orderlies, doctors and others to wash their hands each time they come into contact with a new patient. As a patient, it is your right to ask that they wash their hands in front of you. Simply washing their hands could prevent you from suffering from a hospital-borne infection, which should always be the goal.
If you do get sick from a lack of sanitation, know your rights. Hospitals shouldn’t neglect this simple form of infection control, because it can lead to complications for patients.