Disinfection
carrying the equipment through the ward could be mistaken as a sign that there was an outbreak of some kind and that the technology was an escalation measure. Thanks to the training we had rolled out, all staff were able to provide reassurance and answer some basic questions about the technology. There is also a misconception that the airborne disinfectant poses a threat to the respiratory system, particularly around vulnerable patients. There was a rigorous risk assessment
process in place prior to the trial of course – the disinfectant was a harmless hypochlorous acid solution, and the applicators emitted it in 40-micron particles, too large to bypass the body’s defences and enter the respiratory system. But a risk assessment, however correct, is not enough. That information had to be communicated in a sensitive and responsible manner to all those who would encounter this technology during their visit to the Trust. One of the great benefits of electrostatic
technology to our sector, at the moment, is that other sectors have been investing in and developing it for a lot longer. Innovation driven by agriculture, manufacturing and other industries has driven improvements and efficiencies so that now in healthcare there is a competitive market of cost-effective and user-friendly options. Consumer discretion is still advised, however – not all applicators are created equally. Battery life is an issue of some variance, as is leakage from the solution container and the nozzles tend to get blocked if not cleaned regularly. Our organisation went through a lot of trial and error with a range of products before settling on our current preferred supplier, and I would encourage anyone interested in exploring this technology to sample a few prototypes before investing in it.
A vital, but partial element Given the benefits and convenience that technology has unlocked for us in the last century, along with the exponential growth of innovation, it is surprising to think that something as important as environmental decontamination is still reliant on manual processes of disinfection that pre-date the automobile. Perhaps there is an attitude of not trying to fix what isn’t broken, but an increasing body of evidence is showing that the gap in outcomes for environmental decontamination is widening, and the pressure to introduce technology such as electrostatic disinfection is likely to increase with it. It is for healthcare organisations to intelligently assess and procure technology that provides those improved outcomes while, at the same time, improving
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The speed of disinfection through electrostatic technology allows beds to be turned around faster.
conditions for the end users. I would also suggest that any successful
introduction of new technology must be paired with a campaign of stakeholder engagement, and targeted training that places the technology in a clear, relatable context. Our electrostatic applicators succeeded when our domestic cleaners embraced them and embedded them into their existing practice. They were able to do this because we involved them in the process, educated them on the features and benefits, then empowered them to share that knowledge and understanding with patients, visitors and other staff. There is an old saying goes that “a workman is only as good as his tools”. I recommend we invest in the workman as well as his tools. CSJ
References 1 Patel, M.K. Technological improvements in electrostatic spraying and its impact to agriculture during the last decade and future research perspectives – A review, Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food, Volume 9, Issue 1, 2016, Pages 92-100, ISSN 1881-8366,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j. eaef.2015.09.006.
2 Cadnum JL, Jencson AL, Livingston SH, Li DF, Redmond SN, Pearlmutter B, Wilson BM, Donskey CJ. Evaluation of an electrostatic spray disinfectant technology for rapid decontamination of portable equipment and large open areas in the era of SARS-CoV-2. Am J Infect Control. 2020 Aug;48(8):951-954. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2020.06.002. Epub 2020 Jun 6. PMID: 32522608; PMCID: PMC7275188.
3 Jennifer L. Cadnum and Scott H Livingston and Thriveen Sankar Chittoor Mana and Annette L. Jencson and Sarah N. Redmond and Curtis J. Donskey}, Evaluation of a Novel Sporicidal Spray Disinfectant for Decontamination of
Surfaces in Healthcare, Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 2019, DOI:10.1093/ofid/ofz360.1081
4 Carlisle, M., Rutala, W., Cadnum, J., Wilson, B., Deshpande, A., & Donskey, C. (2022). A randomized trial of ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light versus sodium hypochlorite delivered by an electrostatic sprayer for adjunctive decontamination of hospital rooms. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, 1-4. doi:10.1017/ice.2022.132
About the author
Daniel Sullivan is education and development lead for NTH Solutions. A qualified teacher, Daniel’s background in education led to his role as lead trainer for NTH Solutions, providing accredited training programmes in classroom and e-learning formats to the healthcare sector around cleanliness and compliance with the National Cleaning Standards. Daniel also runs a webinar series on compliance and writes regularly on a range of topics. As a certified ISO: 9001 external lead auditor, Daniel also provides quality audits against the National Cleaning Standards to a range of organisations.
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