Authors (including presenting author) :
Yu SW(1), Wu CM(1), Chau SH(1), Chan HC(1), Kwan SY(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Operating Suite, Department of Anaesthesiology & Operating Services, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital
Introduction :
Patients are vulnerable and susceptible to infection during invasive procedures in the operating theatre (OT). To break the chain of pathogen transmission, effective environmental cleaning is essential. However, random Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) tests on high touch surface after terminal cleaning in theaters of Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital (AHNH) was performed with failed results. By standardizing recommendation in terminal cleaning, providing education to outsourcing cleaning staff and conducting regular assessment on cleaning performances, minimizing cross transmission in OT is expected.
Objectives :
-To standardize cleaning practice by education
-To monitor cleaning effectiveness of theatre by visual inspection and ATP surface test
-To improve cleanliness of high-touch objects/ areas in theatres after improving cleaning practice
Methodology :
Education video was created and education sessions were provided to outsourcing cleaning staff and OT staff for updating and standardizing cleaning practices. 20 high touch objects were selected as the ATP surface test points for each theater room. Cleanliness of the selected surfaces after terminal cleaning was evaluated by ATP luminometer on top of cleaning process observation and visual inspection. The cleaning effectiveness of theater environment was monitored every 3 months.
Result & Outcome :
Both outsourcing cleaning staff and nursing staff were more familiar with terminal cleaning workflow and cleaning techniques after education sessions. 0% of rooms were clean in pre-intervention phase (26 Jan – 5 Feb 2021). Comparing the pre-intervention assessment results on ATP test with that of post-intervention, all of the testing points increased in passing percentage (i.e. with a result of ≤ 250 RLU). Percentage of clean OT rooms increased from 0% to 53% in post-intervention phase I (30 Mar – 16 Apr 2021) and to 80% in post-intervention phase II (2 Jul – 9 Jul 2021).
Cleaning performance was significantly improved with video training, education and assessment by visual inspection and ATP test.
