Patient room cleaning system and method

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for cleaning a patient area in a medical facility. The method generally includes creating a team of members with each member assigned specific tasks that may include vacuuming, damp cleaning, and damp mopping of the patient area.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to cleaning methods. More particularly, the invention relates to a cleaning method that assigns cleaning team members to different tasks to increase efficiency and productivity. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Traditional methods for cleaning a patient's area in a medical facility include dry mopping and dusting. Such methods can disperse dust particulates throughout the patient's environment, decreasing air quality. The dust particulates also resettle and contaminate surfaces thought to be clean. Airborne dust could also be breathed by the patient, leading to infections and lowering health quality. Traditional cleaning methods have also included mopping floors and using a bucket and string-mop that is moved from room to room without changing the mop or refreshing the cleaning solution. This approach can lead to cross contamination of bacteria from one room to the next. ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] The present invention solves the above-described problems and provides a distinct advance in the art cleaning methods. More particularly, the invention provides a cleaning method that assigns cleaning team members to different tasks to increase efficiency and productivity. In addition, cleanliness is improved and contamination is reduced by the single-use techniques of the invention.

[0006] The present invention offers improvements over traditional cleaning practices in that a team of members is employed with specific tasks to focus on areas in which patients are residing. Each member is assigned a specific job to perform in a given area and the members rotate job assignments on a regular schedule. As opposed to traditional cleaning techniques that allow dust particulates to become airborne, some embodiments of the present invention utilize damp cleaning with single-use disinfected cloths to clean a patient area, leading to an improvement in air quality and a reduction in illnesses associated with airborne pollutants and infectious matter. Some embodiments of the present invention also use microfiber, disinfected mops that are discarded after one use to clean all floor areas, resulting in a reduction of cross contamination.

Problems solved by technology

Such methods can disperse dust particulates throughout the patient's environment, decreasing air quality.

The dust particulates also resettle and contaminate surfaces thought to be clean.

Airborne dust could also be breathed by the patient, leading to infections and lowering health quality.

This approach can lead to cross contamination of bacteria from one room to the next.

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